


The World on a Platter

by WarriorOmen



Series: The World on a Platter [1]
Category: Casino Royale - Fandom, Hannibal (TV), James Bond (Craig movies), Skyfall (2012) - Fandom
Genre: A shit ton of characters, Action, Angst, Autoerotic Asphyxiation, Bloodplay, Cannibalism, Complete disregard for canon timelines, Crossover, Drama, Elements of Dubious Consent, Established Relationship, Extremely creepy Le Chiffre, M/M, Murdering Hannibal, Possessive Hannibal, Psychic Level Empathy (Slightly enhanced), Semi-Incest (Depending on how you look at it), Sex, Snark Fests, Torture, Various Sex Acts (Seriously there's eventually going too be too many to list), Violence, team fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-25
Updated: 2013-08-05
Packaged: 2017-12-21 07:01:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 15
Words: 49,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/897270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WarriorOmen/pseuds/WarriorOmen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Le Chiffre's gone underground in America, so MI-6 asks for help from the American's,specifically Will Graham and his special abilities. Things rapidly get out of hand and become far  bigger and more complicated than anyone on either side of the ocean could have planned.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Affiliation

**Author's Note:**

> A little while ago, I wrote a fic called 'What's Reality,Anyway?" Which was essentially a multiverse crack. A lovely person asked if I could do another Casino Royale and Hannibal crossover,and since I'd been planning another one since then..of course I said yes. 
> 
> As always,sorry for the bad editing. Please enjoy!

It couldn't last forever. Of course not. That would be impossible. An unobtainable dream that he kept well in the back of his mind where it couldn't be accessed. Could not be tainted. Stained by whatever might happen by. 

Everything else was exposed for all the world to see. His brain picked open,pried apart. Only to be filled by unwelcome guests and ideas. No. No part of Will's inner thoughts seemed to be sacred any more. Which is why when he found himself enjoying a quiet day at his desk in the FBI Academy of Quantico, waiting for Hannibal to bring back lunch (from his house no less) after the latter had scoffed at Will's pathetic little meal of crackers and granola. He had been careful to relish in the solitude and ease. Knowing that there was no way the peace could last but secretly,oh so secretly hoping that it would.

Easy lines across the pages he was grading. A notation there, an 'x' on one page, a check mark on the other. He allowed himself to relax into the job, closed off from the outside world and influences. 

Absorbed in his work and calm for the first time in a long while, Will didn't notice the presence that was all to close for comfort until there was the sound of Hannibal clearing his throat near the doorway,edging closer into the room. “Will? You have a visitor' Hannibal said,causing Will's head to jerk up so fast it nearly snapped. 

He started at the sight of a man in a nondescript,yet elegant black suit sitting perched against the edge of the desk,staring down at Will with ice crystal blue eyes and a bemused expression on a fine boned face. Will swallowed the awkward stutter threatening to bubble up, clueless as to how long the stranger had been there. Whom he'd have missed entirely had Hannibal not pointed him out.

“I'm sorry for not getting your attention sooner, Special Agent Graham” the man replied in a smooth British accent. When he realized that Will was still searching for words. “But you were so engrossed that I found myself rather engaged in watching you work away,completely oblivious to the world. It was rather amusing” 

Will pushed his glasses further up his nose, feeling slightly indignant about being a source of entertainment for the stranger who appeared to know exactly who he was. “So happy I could be of service” he replied dryly. Barely noticing that Hannibal had come behind the desk until he laid a heavy hand on his shoulder,grounding him.

The slight touch did it's job,Will took a deep breath and watched the other man slide from the desk. His face shifted,minimally. But he made no move to apologize for needling Will. Instead moving to pick up one of the papers Will had been grading. Will grit his teeth,leaning further back in his chair and up into Hannibal's touch more. The stranger moved like he owned the place,humming as he read over the notations. “So this is what you were so absorbed in,fascinating”

Hannibal gripped Will a little tighter,deciding to speak for him. 'Is there something you need of Agent Graham, Mr..?”

“Bond. Agent James Bond' the other replied,without even looking up. Hannibal's eyes narrowed a little at the rudeness. Will cleared his throat, standing and taking the papers from Bond's hand.”If you don't mind?” 

Bond grinned, letting the papers go. 'Not at all. I suppose I have your attention now, any ways' 

Will sighed,impatient with the merry-go-round. 'Yes,you do. What is it you need?” 

Bond appeared to be enjoying himself,eyeing the way Will shifted from side to side,wiped his hands on his pockets. Twitched all over the place. By contrast,he would occasionally look towards Hannibal,who was still standing behind Will's desk chair,completely impassive. 

Two complete and utter contracts. Virtual ying and yang in a single setting. It was fascinating to the British Agent. But. Work to be done.

“Right. As I told you,my names Agent Bond. I work for the British Government. I've been sent here by my Agency to garner assistance from the FBI in tracking down a old nemesis of ours” Not a word he was often fond of using 'nemesis' but at this point,he was at loss on how to describe the man. 'Specifically,I came to ask for your aide in particular, Special Agent Graham. You're little talent is highly spoken of in the circles”

Will cringed mentally. It was bad enough that he was well known for his freak show in America, let alone anywhere else. He was saved from answering to that when Jack entered the room,looking exasperated but hiding it.

“Will!” Jack greeted, booming as ever. “I see you've met Agent Bond,as have you, Dr Lecter' Hannibal smiled gently, though it appeared to be more a stretching of lips than an actual smile. 'We were just getting to know him, Agent Crawford”

“Hope you don't mind me going off on my own,Agent Crawford' Bond fake apologized,not sounding sorry at all for the transgression. 'I was eager to find Agent Graham myself and get to work' Jack sighed a little,shaking his head. 'No matter. It had to happen soon anyway. I presume he's given you the starting details then,Will?”

Will leaned against his desk,arms crossing over his chest. 'Just the beginning. If you want,you can continue, Agent Bond” fighting the urge to take off his glasses and play with them. So much for his quiet day. He felt Hannibal's eyes watching him and he shrugged his shoulders in Hannibal's direction by way of answering.

“Thank you. Now. As I was saying. The British Government needs assistance in tracking down an old target of ours. We have reason to believe that he's gone semi-underground here in America. My street contact spotted him several times over the course of the last week,and I trust her judgement. She's impeccable at what she does.”

“Who is this person,exactly?” Jack asked,interrupting Bond mid-sentence. Impatient as always.

Bond grimaced,the cocky smile dropping from his mouth for the first time since he'd appeared in Will's office like a pesky fly. “He's an Albanian banker who used to be in charge of stock's,his only known actual name is Le Chiffre' 

Hannibal,who had been watching the proceedings with half interest,darted his eyes towards Bond,though his head didn't move,his lips tightened.

Only Will noticed,and he rounded the desk, until he stood shoulder to shoulder with Hannibal. Curious as to his sudden mood change.

Bond reached down towards a black satchel that Will hadn't seen before,withdrawing a laptop and tapping away at it. A few moments later, he turned the laptop towards the others,pointing at the screen. 'That's him”

Will felt his mouth drop open before his brain registered the movement. Jack's eyes narrowed and widened,then narrowed again. Both of them stared in shock at the splitting image of Hannibal staring back at them. 

No wonder Bond had been eyeing Hannibal earlier. It was like looking into a mirror,only a slight alteration in the giant scar and milky film that covered his left eye. 

Hannibal just stared silently at the screen, face completely masked.

Jack spoke first, Will still unable too. 

“You're absolutely certain this is your target?” He asked, shifting his eyes between Hannibal and the computer screen. James nodded, leaning against the black board, ankles crossing. 'I'd know him anywhere. He's wanted for using his clients stock money to finance terrorism. We want him in our possession. We almost had him before but..” he trailed off, taking a moment before finishing the sentence. “We ran into complications”

Jack nodded, looking to Hannibal as if waiting for some kind of explanation. 'Dr Lecter? Do you know something about..this? Or is it a freaky coincidence that this target happens to look exactly like you?”

Will bristled a little, shifting awkwardly from side to side. “Genetics say we all have a doppelganger out there somewhere Jack. It's possible that-”

“It's a bit of both,Agent Crawford' Hannibal interrupted. Will fell silent,though he did shift a little bit closer to Hannibal,feeling the coiled tension in the other's presence. Hannibal disliked having to explain things about himself. Something Will had learned over the last year or so, especially since they'd started dating.

James,to his credit, was keeping quiet. Will could feel tension in the British Agent as well,though he was actively fighting and hiding it. Le Chiffre made the other nervous,but he'd never admit it.

Interesting.

Hannibal cleared his throat, hands clasping in front of himself. 'There's really not that much to tell. I don't know all that much about him. When I was ten, I found a bunch of cheques that were to be mailed off to Albania. I asked my father about them and he told me that a long time ago, about two years after I was born,he'd fallen in love with an Albanian tourist. He'd been lonely since my mother died. But she was unable to stay in the country. She wrote him,and told him she'd given birth to a son. So he sent her the money as child support' Hannibal paused,looking back to the laptop. 'I don't think I'll be able to tell you much that your own intelligence hasn't already,Agent Bond. I've only met him a handful of times”

Will inhaled sharply through his nose. Hannibal had never mentioned that. He fiddled with the hem of shirt,unable to think of anything useful to say.

Bond made a sound in the back of his throat,and his eyes had tightened slightly. As if he was trying to comprehend the thought of Le Chiffre's genes having spread. The prospect was slightly terrifying to him,and he side eyed Lecter. 

Jack,ever pragmatic, just straightened his shoulders. “I guess that means we won't have to worry about any strange family reunions getting in the way of the operation then,Dr Lecter?”

Hannibal looked up at Jack and nodded,lightly. 'I doubt it. As I said,I don't know him well” Jack accepted it,but Will could feel that Hannibal was lying, if only partially. Though he didn't dare say so. Jack didn't need to know that. And he believed that Hannibal was allowed his private moment of contemplation and realization that his brother had grown up to be an international terrorist.

For a moment,there was silence in the room,until Bond decided to break it. 

'Would you care to show me around some more,Agent Crawford? I'd like to get myself acquainted with any others I might be working with” His eyes shifted to Will, the message clear. He was giving them time. It was oddly sweet,coming from the decidedly cocky Agent.

Jack understood.

“Of course. Follow me please. I'll take you to the Science Unit. We mostly work with them. Will,Dr Lecter. We'll meet back in about an hour”

They left quietly, swiftly. Leaving nothing but empty space in their wake.

Moments passed before Will turned his body towards Hannibal,who was still watching the laptop screen.

'Hannibal..”

“I met him when I was in my teens. We went to the same academy in Paris. His mother managed to remarry into wealth. He had lots of potential,very bright. Shame he's decided to waste it on this nonsense”

Will swallowed. Unsure of exactly what to say. Instead,he reached out, somewhat awkwardly, wrapping his arm around Hannibal's lower back,feeling the gesture returned. 

Hannibal didn't say anything,but his grip was tight, far tighter than normal.

~~

Le Chiffre paused the camera on that image. The tight arms and the close bodies. A smirk spread across his lips, making them stretch above overly sharp teeth.

“What's the location of this camera's feed again,Basil?”

“Quantico,Virginia sir”

Another smirk, hand tightening around the glass of whiskey that he brought to his lips. 

'Find me everything that you can on Special Agent Will Graham' taking another sip, before adding.

'Immediately”


	2. Knight to E5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> James gets to meet more of the team,and Will gets closer to Le Chiffre in a way nobody expected so soon.

Jack Crawford was a man who believed in using every single possible outlet to catch an offending party. Whether it be a killer or a terrorist alike. He wasn't above cutting corners-or using unorthodox methods.

Frankly. He knew that a single misstep in the wrong direction would end up getting Will Graham permanently knocked out of the field,and put a noose around his own neck. But Jack believed in taking the risk. He firmly believed that Will did more good than he did harm, and Dr Lecter helped reign the agent in somewhat.

Even if he didn't exactly approve of the recent turns in that relationship. There was a job to be done. Whatever methods were needed to accomplish that would be considered fair game.

Of course. That had also gotten Miriam Lass killed. Jack pushed the thought aside.

Which was why,when he had received an extremely early phone call from a terse sounding female asking if they could borrow his and Will's assistance in catching a god damned terrorist,he'd said yes without giving it so much as a second thought. Second thoughts was time wasted,and Jack knew the value of hours in this line of work. 

Bond, had been something he couldn't fully anticipate. The man had turned up in his office not ten minutes after he'd hung up with the woman he only knew of as 'M'. Introducing himself swiftly,he'd made himself comfortable in Jack's office,explaining that he'd already arrived in America and informed M of that. Which meant that the choice had never been Jack's in the first place. But a mere curtsey. 

Jack didn't mind. Not too much anyway. He knew what it was like to cut the corners. 

Now,Bond was following him down the hall to the lab where his formidable Science Team worked. He wasn't an overly chatty man,but everything seemed to catch the British Agent's eye. Like he was cataloguing everything in his head for future use. He also appeared to be quite delighted with how his introduction to Will Graham had gone over. 

“He's a strange fellow,isn't he?” Bond inquired, keeping pace with Jack's long strides down the hallway. 'Sort of twitchy,but not stupid. Very clever”

“Will's gift tends to make him a bit more wary of people. He's a good man” Jack didn't seem to think he had to defend Will,per say. The Agent was not being hostile. It was more of a counter observation to James words. 

'I look forward to working with him. If his talents are as useful as the papers and studies would claim to be. How does he feel about that? He hardly seems to be the type that enjoys recognition. Why I'd even say he'd be the kind of man who cringes when you say thank you. As if he doesn't deserve praise of any sort”

Jack frowned without actively moving his facial muscles. Bond's observation skills were unnerving,to say the least. “He didn't know about those,not until you mentioned them”

'I'm so sorry' Bond acquiesced. Without sounding sorry at all. James didn't think Will needed sheltering. He'd have found out someday,why prolong it? Perhaps that was a bit presumptuous for him to push on his new temporary colleague,but James lived under the impression that you could die within the next second breath you inhaled. 

Better late than never, in his mind.

“Here we are” Jack showed him to the door, effectively ending that part of the conversation. Bond swiftly moved ahead of Jack as the door was opened, nodding his head to the small group of people before him. 

“Alright listen up everyone. I'd like to introduce you to our new-”

“Agent James Bond, here to find a rouge terrorist and bring him in with the aide of the American FBI, at your service” Bond interrupted,cutting off Jack's attempts to control the floor. 

“Yes” Jack finished,somewhat lamely. Unused to having his thunder stolen so easily. 

“Were catching terrorist now? What happened to being corpse sexual only?” Zeller grumbled, looking up from the dead body he was poking at with a lethal looking metal stick. Jack sighed a little. 'Brian Zeller, Agent Bond. And as for being 'corpse-sexual' only, there's been a slight change of plans. We've agreed to assist the British Government as this is something of a special case that they needed some...unique outside talents on” 

“You mean Will Graham' Price chirped, poking at Zeller's wrist with his own sharp object and muttering something about needing him to check the other lobe. Jack nodded. 'And others, Jimmy Price, Agent Bond” thinking he may as well introduce based on whom piped up first.

'But mostly Will”

“Yes, mostly Will”

Bond stood close to Jack still,amused beyond all comprehension with the antics going on around him, out of the corner of his eye,he saw Beverly making her way into the room from a side door,carrying a large stack of boxes that all but covered her up to her nose.

Never one to pass up on an opportunity,he extracted himself from Crawford and moved into her personal space,making to grab one of the boxes. “There now, allow me. You can barely see for the stack” 

Beverly's eyes darkened with amusement, the corners of her mouth twitching up as she dodged Bond and laid the boxes on the table. 'I can see well enough to tell that that was one weak pick up line Mr..?”

“Bond,Agent Bond' James replied, grinning more. Feisty.

Beverly smirked back,leaning closer,until she was speaking right into his ear. “Well,Agent Bond. You might want to brush up on your technique, you are in the twenty first century after all. Though,my grandmother might have found you charming' A smirk and she had retreated,joining and amused looking Zeller and Price by the examination table while Bond stood there grinning.

Jack cleared his throat. 'And that, is Beverly Katz. Probably the only one among these three that has a brain I can actually utilize”

“That's not fair!' Zeller whined.

“I feel so welcome” Price pouted.

Jack ignored them, Bond chuckled a little. 

“Agent Bond? If you would follow me back to Agent Graham's classroom, we can get started on tracking Mr Le Chiffre before too many things get out of hand' Making it clear from his tone that he was eager too get started.

After all,time chatting was time wasted. 

Bond nodded swiftly. 'Of course,it was a pleasure to meet you all.Price. Zeller,Beverly' Making sure to throw Beverly a long wink that was met with a dramatic eye roll and a strategically raised middle finger.

~~

Will sighed and leaned in a little closer to Hannibal before removing his glasses, rubbing a hand across his eyes and sliding out of the grip. Hannibal let him go,though he followed him visually, watching every movement while Will cast a wary glance back to the laptop before tapping his fingers against his thigh. 

Hannibal knew he was thinking,and he delighted in watching Will's mind work. It was like a constant struggle. Will seemed to forever be at arms with brain. Unsure if he really wished to speak his mind,or retreat further into the solitude of his thoughts. Hannibal wanted to destroy every wall he had constructed both in and out of himself and replace them with his own being, and for a moment,he felt a rush of adrenaline course through him before reminding himself to calm down.

Reminding himself that Will's brain was not his own. That he could not implant some seed of himself into the Agent so that there was nothing left but a variation of his own ideals and thoughts that would service and please him. Casting all of Will's doubts aside and making a new person in its place. One that knew of his full potential and his abilities. One that could draw on everything from it's source,it's core. It's spirit.

Of Hannibal.

Not yet. Not yet anyway. Soon. But not yet.

After all,they'd only been dating for about a month.

They had time. Will was his now. His alone. There was no escape for the Agent. Nowhere he'd been able to run. Signing his life and his fate over to the Dr the same day he'd accepted his offer to become a more major part of his existence. After all, relationships with Hannibal were for life, it was the best. He smiled to himself. 

Especially if this sudden incident with Le Chiffre turned out to be...unfortunate. (Which he surmised it would. Le Chiffre didn't seem to know how to operate without wrecking some havoc upon the world) He had no doubts that a severely damaged Will would be in need of repair. A wonderful opening,if there ever was one.

'Yes,Will?” Voice neutral, crafting an expression of gentle worry and interest that he'd fabricated especially for Will's benefit. Coaxing him to speak when it seemed he was unable to prompt himself to do so. 

“I was..just wondering if you wanted me to stay over tonight. You know since..” he gestured at the laptop, fighting the faint rush of colour that was threatening to cross his cheeks,even under the stubble. 

He was offering to comfort him,no doubt thinking that the arrival of Le Chiffre back in his life was unnerving Hannibal. He'd be a fool to waste such a chance to have Will a little more on the sedate and open side.

'That is a vary gracious offer Will. I accept'

Will swallowed and then nodded. Still so awkward despite everything. It was as endearing as it was grating.

Soon. He reminded himself,yet again. Soon. His patience would be rewarded some day.

'Okay. Sure. I'll just feed the dogs and grab a change of clothes and then..ah head to your place then,right,it's settled'

“What's settled?” Will glanced up just to see Bond standing nearly nose to nose with him. He blinked and stepped back a few feet,walking unconsciously into Hannibal's orbit. The Dr gripped Will's elbow with what Will always thought were too strong fingers. Stronger than a psychiatrist aught to have,any ways.

James grinned. Much like a cat that's watching a mouse.

“Just some arrangements that had too made,nothing incriminating Agent Bond” Hannibal answered smoothly.

Bond pretended to pout. Petulantly. 'What a pity. The more incriminating the better”

“In some cases” Jack replied, moving over to Will's desk. 'If you don't mind Agent Bond,we should get started'

James nodded,throwing Will and Hannibal another look before strolling further into the classroom. Back at the laptop,he tapped on some keys,until he brought up a map.

'If my geography is correct,the last actual sighting of Le Chiffre was on a Manhattan subway” Bond announced, Will and Hannibal approaching the desk now. “My contact saw him getting onto a train but she never managed to see him getting off. He made sure that it was rush hour,of course. Easier to blend into the crowd. That was yesterday,around twenty two hundred hours” James sighed, crossing his arms over his chest and chewing on his bottom lip. Will felt his eyes narrowing, before his body actively registered the movement. A buzzing moving around his head and across his arms.

Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Not NOW. 

But it was happening even before he realized it. The tingle moving down his entire frame. Encasing him,engulfing him.

Jack and Hannibal managed to notice at the same time, both of them backing up, though Jack made a point of calling out,softly.

“Will?”

Will's eyes closed.

Hannibal moved in close to James, nudging him deliberately with his elbow.

“If you don't mind, Agent Bond. But you should take a step back”

James blinked,but he went without comment. Knowing an important enough order when he heard one.

Will's eyes opened, fingers stretching out,as if feeling them for the first time. He took a breath,and it came out as a small chuckle. Rounding the desk,he ran his finger over it's surface,stroking them against the edge of the laptop. “I am surprised that it's so easy to get around in this country. So many people, hiding in corners,scrambling for their own sense of security,that nobody bothers pay you a second glance. Far to wrapped up in their own selfish minds. So self serving,so utterly ignorant to the outside world. Invisible"

Shaking his head,he looked up, standing at the head of the desk now and picking up a small letter opener,running his finger along it's edge. Waiting until blood came to the surface, bringing his tongue to the sanguine and licking it up like a cat,the drop dangling on the tip of his flesh for a moment before he captured it,throat muscles working as he swallowed slowly.

Hannibal closed his eyes,swallowing in time with Will, breathing slightly heavier than he usually did.

Neither Jack nor James noticed.

“They thought I was dead. Such small minds are easy to fool. All I had to do was lie there,pathetic really. Lying in a pool of my own blood. Unable to move,unable to see. Unable to take..what should have been mine to take”

A growl,he reached out, grabbing the front of Bond's shirt and nearly tearing the buttons from it in the process. James hissed but held out a hand to Jack to stop him from coming forward and snapping Will out of it. Too engrossed in a fascinated sort of terror at what was happening.

“You weren't supposed to survive. Continuing to exist as a constant mockery of me!' He hissed. The steady calm replaced with something far more furious. 'Thinking you're so funny,so amusing. The top of the world with your jokes,your scoffing. Daring to taunt me despite the vulnerable position you willing got yourself into. Because you let yourself be blinded by your own arrogant stupidity. Thinking you'd won when he shot me' 

His voice was an uneven growl. Echoing and fierce.

So much rage. It was boiling in Will's brain. Roaring through his ears. Clouding his vision. Screaming at him. 

James swallowed,but he couldn't actively tear himself away. Will's recreation was so perfect that he felt a cold chill run down his blood stream. It was unnerving and fascinating. No human being should be able to do this. 

 

Another chuckle. An ugly chuckle. Like glass grating together against a fake laugh.

Will moved in closer,white knuckling the fabric,his lips against James ears.

Hannibal had to swallow a growl. Fighting the urge to rip Will from Bond and rub his blood against the empath's skin until his own scent was clouding Will's and drowning him in it. 

It's not Will. He told himself. Not Will. 

“You haven't won." He whispered,hot breath against Bond's flesh. Making him shudder. "I have the satisfaction of seeing you truly humiliated, crumbling under my hands,fighting it tooth and nail despite knowing that,for once you are NOT superior. And I'm still there. Still breathing. You'll carry a memory of me till the day you die. Nothing you ever do will ever be the same again. Every time you bury yourself in a woman,I'll be there at the back of your mind, reminding you of how truly helpless you are.”

Will took a breath, releasing his hold on James' shirt,only to run a steady finger down the side of his cheek.

'Not all scars can fade, Agent Bond."

Bond twitched,but remained perfectly still. Utterly rooted to the spot. Glued. Captivated.

Then the hand was gone. Will was reeling away from him violently, sliding to his knees as though he lost balance. What air he had left appeared to get stuck in his throat,the buzzing replaced with a dull roar in his ears. His hands latched up to the sides of his face,and he took deep gasping breathes. Shuddering all over.

Hannibal moved before Jack even had a chance to say his name, strong arms wrapping around Will's back, hands through his hair, stroking his face, lifting his chin so that he could look Will in the eye,coax him out of it.

Jack turned his gaze from Hannibal and Will just in time to see James leaving. 

The door slammed behind him, impossibly loud in the large classroom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you can tell from the chapter summary,I am utterly terrible at summaries. I would also like to note that it's entirely possible you'll be getting a double update from me,as there's so much that I want to write right now and it's just flowing from my brain.
> 
> I apologize as always for the terrible editing. I do make sure to run it through a spell check. But I do miss things occasionally. 
> 
> The chess reference is probably a poor sort of title for this chapter,but I wanted to use it,and this chapter really is about putting some pieces in motion. So. Yeah.
> 
> Also, another quick note. I've taken a little bit of creative liberty with Will's empathy and enhanced it slightly. More near psychic levels if you will. But not *quite*. 
> 
> As always,thanks for reading! ^_^ I am glad people are enjoying this fic.
> 
> PS-I am also sorry for such repetitive words. I'll try to make friends with a thesaurus.


	3. Reconnaissance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So..this chapter is kind of long, and there is a LOT going on here. So I apologize if things get confusing. I'm also extremely tired now,but these guys just won't shut up! So I write when they tell me to write. 
> 
> I wasn't originally going to have sex so early on in the story,but,again. They write themselves. There's also POSSIBLY incestual elements in this chapter,if you squint really,really hard. The related characters do not interact physically,so I don't think it counts too much. But,I'll throw the warning out there anyway.
> 
> Sorry if this whole chapter doesn't make a great deal of sense. I also haven't written sex in..a year or more, so I'm a little rusty. *hides* don't hate me too much,eh?
> 
> Again,I'm sorry if this chapter is awful. I'm tired.

Fingers closed tight around the crystal whiskey glass, an inhaler brought to fine set lips as medication was inhaled. Soothing the torrent that was his lung as he watched the screen in front of himself.

Agent Graham's abilities were deeply unsettling and terribly exciting all in the same moment. His voice had sounded so accurate, so true, coming with shocking ease through the twitchy,stuttering man's mouth.

It was as if his very soul had possessed and claimed the man as it's own for the moment. A moment that ended far to quickly for Le Chiffre's liking.

No matter. There would be ample time for exploring it later. Leaning further back into the plush black leather of his chair, he refilled his glass without taking his eyes off the screen, watching Hannibal attempt to bring Will back to life once more.

“Fascinating. I didn't think you were capable of comfort” Le Chiffre muttered towards the screen, watching his brother somewhat apprehensively. It only solidified his need to get Will Graham to him, in his orbit. 

There was so much he could utilize with Will, not only for the man's own talents,but for the relationship he'd cultivated with Hannibal. Le Chiffre chuckled dryly. He had little doubt that Will would have no idea just how deep that would run. Hannibal was so particular about everything. His entire life was a carefully crafted plan. A puzzle. A chess game. Forever painting the world with his own brush strokes. His canvas. His plaything.

How delightful it would be to throw a wrench into his brother's carefully crafted world, take from him what might be the only meaningful and true relationship his decidedly strange sibling had developed in years.

Yes. Taking Will would be a good way to insert himself back into things. Get himself back up in the world. Hiding out never did suit him.

When he sipped his whiskey again,he couldn't help but smile in satisfaction,interrupted only by Basil's knock on the door.

“Enter”

Basil did,holding a small stack of papers. “I've found some information on Agent Graham,as requested, Sir”

“Bring them to me. Have you discovered his home address”

Basil nodded,handing Le Chiffre the stack. 

“Yes. Sir. He lives in Wolf Trap,about thirty minutes away from the FBI Academy,there's a photo of his house attached to the address”

Google maps was so kind sometimes. 

“Good. I want you and Nicoli to take the camera. I need to keep my eye on Agent Graham at all times. I take it the installation in Lecter's home went smoothly?”

“As smoothly as it did in the Academy, Sir” Basil replied, already standing straight up and behind Le Chiffre's chair. Somewhat to the left. Basil was good. He never asked any questions. Followed orders with little complaint. Completely useful in his quiet.

An asset Le Chiffre actually enjoyed keeping around. Rare as it was.

“Perfect' Le Chiffre pressed a button,and the second screen lit up,showing various rooms of Hannibal's house. 

“Do get comfortable,Basil. I do believe there is going to be an interesting show tonight”

~~

“Will”

“Will, Can you hear me?”

Hannibal's voice was low and steady. A knife through flesh,gently coaxing Will back into himself with it's gentle,but firm prodding and poking. Flaying away the haze of recollection, laying to waste the darkness of Will's mind and opening him up to the present.

Slowly,he nodded.

“Good. Do you think you can stand for me?”

Will nodded, gripping the sides of Hannibal's suit coat and allowing for Hannibal to help guide him to shaky feet. Jack was already sitting at the laptop, reading up on Le Chiffre and making notes about the various places in Manhattan that he could hide out in. Will and Hannibal paid him little mind.

“Where's Agent Bond?” Will asked, feeling dread and sickness in the pit of his stomach. Images that didn't belong to him flashing in his mind. He cringed and shook his head. Murder was one thing. But..to be awake. Conscious. Coherent. Will swayed again, swallowing the nausea.

“What did you see,Will?” Hannibal asked,voice quiet in Will's ear. His grip strong and secure.

“Later” Will promised him, easing himself out of Hannibal's grip. 'I need too..I..” he shook his head. 'Later. I promise” 

Hannibal accepted it. Letting Will go and nodding towards the door.”Agent Bond went that way' Will nodded his thanks, making his way towards the door and pushing it open. Glancing down the hallway for the Brit.

He didn't have to look far. As usual, James Bond just..appeared. One minute he was there,and the next,he wasn't. Will could see him now, sitting sideways on the window ledge, a long leg dangling down towards the ground. Will approached him carefully,wary.

'I don't know what I expected' Bond sighed,breaking the silence and acknowledging Will's presence without even turning around. 'They told me you were good,that you were the best. There's no reason why I should have ever believed otherwise. Especially given the circumstances”

“It's not usually like that. I normally connect with killers. The victims dead before the worst happens' Will tried to explain,feeling an uncomfortable tension in his body. Making him sweat slightly. Impatiently wiping his hands on his pants to clean them. Dry them.

“There are times where death feels like a gift” Bond replied, still staring out the window,as if he couldn't face Will just yet. Will had to wonder who he was protecting with his distance. Himself,or Will.

“I'm sure...I'm..sorry”

It was lame, useless and hardly even enough to placate. Nothing could erase the past, and Will wished he could take the words back the second that they were uttered. 

Bond's back stiffened and he slid from the ledge, rounding on Will.

'Sorry, is meaningless' he hissed. “Sorry doesn't fix things. Sorry is a child's word. Something we tell adults when we feel like we can change our errors by an utterance. Sorry doesn't change the fact that he's back. He's out there. And laughing in my face every day we don't catch him”

“We can catch him now, Agent Bond. We WILL catch him this time. There's a whole team on both sides of the globe out to get him. He's in hiding and he's under a gun. We'll get him” Will reassured him, finding the words awkward in his mouth.

He wasn't in the habit of being reassuring.

James continued to glower,but his hostility was fading rapidly. 'Of course we will. I don't plan to let him get away this time”

Will still felt nauseous,and he swallowed thickly to kill it once more. Turning his head when the classroom opened letting Hannibal into the hallway. “Agent Crawford has informed me that he will be sending the New York Police a request for their security footage. Since he won't be getting it until morning,he's letting us go. Agent Bond?”

James looked up from where he'd been scrutinizing a plant, as if searching for something. 'Dr Lecter”

“I was wondering if you would care to join Will and I for dinner tonight. Something a bit more relaxing to get you more comfortable with America, if you would”

Will groaned internally. He knew that this meant Hannibal would attempt to goad him into a suit. An event that was never successful.

Unfortunately, James appeared delighted by the invitation. Even if that was mostly because fancy dinners meant expensive alcohol. “Absolutely. I appreciate the offer,Dr Lecter. Just give me a time and the location of your house” 

Hannibal smiled at him, though Will could see that it was more out of politeness than any true feeling. 'Of course. I think seven pm should be sufficient and my address is...here' Fishing a business card from his breast pocket and a pen from Will's back pocket that Will didn't remember putting there,he scribbled down his home address,handing the card to Bond.

“See you in six hours then, Agent Graham,Dr Lecter' And like that he was gone. Will was starting to wonder if the man didn't actively teleport.

'You are not putting me in a suit' Will announced,the second they were alone.

Hannibal hooked an arm around Will's waist, tugging him against his body slightly. “We'll see about that, dear Will'

Will groaned,again.

~~

“No”

“Will I assure you,there are times where plaid flannel does not work. Despite it being a catch all clothing item'

Will sighed,crossing his arms over his chest and scooting back a little bit further on Hannibal's King Sized bed, eye balling the tied up black curtain on the East poster.

“Suits are..constricting. Tight. You can't breathe properly in a suit. It's encasing. Every time I wear one I feel as though I'm going to suffocate from the inside out. Like tiny little hands wrapping around my throat,my wrists,my veins. Whatever they can reach. No escape. It's like drowning it's like..”

Hannibal moved before Will even registered it. Until he felt Hannibal's large hands over his shoulders, pushing him flat backwards to the mattress, climbing atop of him, covering him with his full weight.

Will let out a small sound and squirmed. “What..?”

“Do you feel trapped now,Will?'

Will swallowed, about to nod when Hannibal put a finger to his lips. 

'No. Think about it,really think about it,and then answer me”

Will swallowed again,taking a few deep breaths and putting his hands to his sides. Forcing himself to focus. Hannibal was strong. Something he could cling too. Unwavering and unmoving above him. A solid force that was like rocks in the tidal wave that was his own self.

Finally,he shook his head. Hannibal smiled and pushed his nose against Will's, a strange little gesture that he discovered Will was overly fond of. One of his hands detached from Will's shoulder,and he moved it to cover Will's eyes,feeling the Agent's breathing quicken immediately under it. Hannibal pushed harder,silently commanding Will to stop.  
“A suit is just a suit,Will. You have power over clothes. Not they you. There is a difference' Hannibal explained, the second hand starting to unbutton the ridiculous flannel plaid that Will insisted on clothing himself in. Will bucked up under his hand. Silently asking for Hannibal to move his hand. Let him see.

Hannibal refused.

Needing both of his hands free now, he made short work of his tie, lifting Will's head up and wrapping the thick ruby coloured fabric against Will's eyes. Will whimpered slightly and let his head drop back, hands clenching into the bedding.

He was beautiful in his confusion. Hannibal noted. The tension rocking through his slight frame, excitement slowly replacing his apprehension. Hannibal ducked his head down to breathe in deeply from Will's neck, letting the shirt fall to the floor.

The only place for such clothing. Hannibal thought.

'Clothes cannot control you' He purred into Will's ear. Making Will grunt beneath him, sweat forming on his skin as he turned his head closer too Hannibal's lips. His voice making him shiver.

“Know what it's like to really lose control,Will?” he asked, hands brushing his hips, fingers digging into the flesh. Will cried out, slightly. 

It wasn't enough. He wanted him to scream. Hear that broken clip in his voice that bordered on a sob when he could not longer contain it.

Damaged. Delightful.

Distracting Will with his voice, his hands on his flesh. Will didn't even notice that he was entirely bereft of clothing until he felt the coldness of the air raising goose flesh on his skin,he shivered,shaking his head. 

'I don't want too' he half whispered.

Hannibal smiled, a twisted grimace he was grateful Will could not presently see.

'You know that's not true. You crave it like nothing else. The lack of having to fight. The ability to lay back and let yourself be cared for. That's what you want the most,isn't it,Will? Every day,you ask yourself; 'How much longer do I have to fight. Carry my sword into battle before it stops? Before I can lay down my shield and let nature take it's course?”

Will started beneath him, back arching and yelping slightly when he felt Hannibal's fingers gently prying him open. “Can't..do that' he half gasped, rolling his hips downwards.

'Oh? Why is that?” Hannibal asked, sounding far to casual than the situation should warrant.

“I..because..I-ah!' He glared when Hannibal stroked him internally,just show. Hannibal's amused chuckle made his cheeks flush. 

'Because why,Will?” Will cursed mentally. Why were they even having a conversation at this point?

“Because if..if I do..people-god,Hannibal. People die. That's why”

Hannibal paused his movements. Enjoying the feeling of Will's body clenching around his fingers. He could feel the smaller man's heartbeat through his very flesh. Even here. Pulsing warmly around his fingers,filling them with life,Will's life. The life he had claimed as his own.

“Death is a natural occurrence, Will” he reminded him,releasing him from the intimate hold.Will groaned a little, legs falling uselessly to the side, dimly aware of the sound of sliding metal and rippling clothing. Blind,every sound appeared to be heightened. Only for complete possession seconds later. Gasping as warmth filled him and Hannibal's clothed weight moulded itself against his naked flesh. 

'Hannibal,you're suit-' 

'Can be dry cleaned. Continue,Will'

“Murder isn't a natural occurrence, Hannibaaah” His words were cut short by a particularly precise roll of Hannibal's hips, forcing his own legs to wind themselves against the larger waist. Proud of himself for managing to find it so easily.

Hannibal moved his head downwards, until his lips were against Will's ear again. When he spoke,the words were rough, a growl, accent making them roll heavily off of his tongue.

'You have no control,right now. In this moment. I could do anything to you,and you'd never be able to stop it' Will groaned, choking when he felt one of those large hands closing around his windpipe. 

'Hannibal..” How he hated the sudden note of fear that worked it's way into the voice, a soft stroke of fingers against the side of his neck silently asked for Will to trust him.

He relaxed into the hold, even when Hannibal started moving himself faster, forcing Will further down into the bed, his hand slowly tightening with each thrust. Will groaned beneath him, unable to gasp for the hand around his throat, cutting off his air and his words. His legs were starting to strain,yet he clung tighter to Hannibal with them,forcing him in further, soaking the front of Hannibal's perfectly tailored suit with his front.

“I'm all there is. Your life is in my hands,Will. You can't escape,you can't run. You can't hide. There's nowhere you can go where I can't find you. Won't be able to find you. You're encased,enclosed,trapped. You say you don't want it,you say it scares you. Yet here you are,falling apart beneath my hands, my body. Because the body knows what the mind doesn't. That you crave it,want it. Desire nothing more than to be secured. Locked away where the voices,the memories can't hurt you any more.”

Somehow, Hannibal's voice had gotten deeper with each word, hand so tight that stars were exploding in Will's vision. 

Back arching, body bowing, legs locking,he couldn't scream,he couldn't pant. He released with his entire body, shuddering and jerking beneath Hannibal, unique scent and musk filling the air.

Hannibal inhaled it with a deep groan,feeling it overpower him. Woodsy,earthy. Just like Will. His heart clenching around Hannibal as he did so, it was only moments later that he felt completion within himself,and, with a final grunt, he coated Will internally in his own warmth. Claiming him, owning him. Marking him. 

Panting,he dropped his hand from Will's neck, unwinding the tie and dropping it onto the night stand,carefully extracting himself from Will's body and peering at the Agent's face.

His eyes were closed,chest rising and falling with laboured,gasping breaths. Hannibal lifted an eye lid to make sure that Will had indeed just passed out.

Slowly,Hannibal rose from the bed, gathering the fabric of his vest and shirt in his hands and inhaling for a final time satisfied that he would carry Will's scent with him for the next few hours.

~~

“Basil”

'Yes sir”

“Get out”

Basil went. Perfectly happy to obey the strict,abrupt command. Le Chiffre waited for the sound of the lock clicking before glancing down at his own body. Chuckling darkly as he made short work of his own fly.

'Can't let a good thing go to waste,after all”


	4. Tarnished Roses

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am very glad to see people are liking this story! It's the first multichaptered story I've tried to tackle in a long time,and I'm very glad to hear that I'm doing well so far. Please continue to enjoy! Thank you all once again!

When they were still studying in Paris, Le Chiffre hand once commented to Hannbial that he was doomed to die alone. Too live a life in complete and utter solitude, denying how deeply he craved company. 

“Your life is a void, Hannibal. You spend so much time crafting an image of yourself that you forget who you are and what you want”. The then 15 year old Le Chiffre (not that he was called that at the time) had commented, crossing his legs at the ankle and leaning against a broad mahogany desk, studying his older sibling with careful contemplation.

Hannibal had pretended not to hear him, instead finishing up with his papers and sliding them into the leather satchel, snapping it closed and turning on his heel. 'I'll see you in the dorms. I'm going to class' Walking out of the room before the other could retaliate.

Staring at the empty space left behind by Hannibal,Le Chiffre sucked in a breath,before exhaling it and pushing his glasses further up his nose. “Fine. Don't listen to me. One day you won't be able to close a door in my face..”

Now, in the dimly lit bedroom, Hannibal let Le Chiffre's words run about in his mind,replaying them over and over. He stood, half dressed in his blue and black suit pants, pulling his arms into a pale blue dress shirt, glancing at the peacefully sleeping Will amongst the dark sapphire coloured bedding, lightly furred chest rising and falling with each breath. He wasn't dreaming. He rarely did after sex. It relieved Hannibal to have Will's mind clear for rest. If only because that let him move about more freely. Without having to worry about Will waking at any moment. Yet,he couldn't help but lean his head down, pushing the soft curls back and laying a kiss to his forehead. Pulling the blanket further up Will's body to encase him before straightening up. 

Dressing himself quickly,he did the final button up on his suit coat, scrawling a note to Will to inform him that he was going grocery shopping and that he'd be back in a couple hours. If he woke,he was free to do as he pleased. Of course.

Satisfied, he made his way from the bedroom,pulling his fine black leather gloves over his hands and closing the bedroom door behind himself, making his way to the kitchen.

His rolodex was kept behind a few cookbooks,and he hummed softly to himself as he flipped through it,finally extracting the card of an incredibly obnoxious trombone player that had been so blatant as to shove him several times at the Opera's after party.

A fit man with a large torso, his lungs would be a perfect introduction meal for the wry British Agent.

~~

One of the wonderful things about New York City was how busy it constantly was. The crowd moved like water through the streets, conversation a dull roar mingling into the atmosphere. Sweaty,heady. A running current of humanity.

It was amazing,how blind people could be when they weren't paying attention. It took a few heartbeats for him to even notice there was a gun on his back,until a smooth voice greeted him lowly,running over the shell of his ear in some mockery of a kiss.

“You live on West 49th Street in apartment C9. Your name is Damian Micheals and you've been having an affair with your cousin Isabelle Duncan for the past eight months. She's heavily pregnant and your wife is sick. Tell me what I want to know,and she'll never find out. Don't,and I mail the tape of you and Isabelle with her Woman's World Subscription and leave you here in a pool of your own blood and piss. The choice,is yours”

Damian shuddered and turned his head,attempting to see the woman holding him at bay, but the Beretta nudged itself further into his lower back and she made a tut-tut sound in the back of her throat.

'Stay still now. I'd hate to make a mess,this is a brand new dress,you see. Tell me what he paid you'

'Who..who paid me?” 

The gun cocked,pushing against his left kidney hard enough to make him whimper. “This isn't a game of guess who. Tell me.”

Damian shuddered again, biting his lower lip. “$50,000” he whispered, trying to shy away from the gun. “He told me if I..if I did it, he'd give me $50,000. Su...surgeries expensive,you know?”

Severine growled lowly,removing the gun. “Where'

Damian hung his head. “I burned them”

Severine growled again, useless. The tapes,the documents. Everything containing any trace of his latest crime was now up in smoke,mingling with the very air they breathed.

“Hope you like the guilt of having a life taken hanging over your head, Damian. And by the way?” She leaned in again,long finger nails gripping the back of his neck,twisting violently in his hair. “You won't have a home to go back to. I mailed your wife those tapes yesterday. Enjoy your pathetic existence.” 

She was back in the thick of the crowd before Damian could even react, his knees giving out beneath him. Severine forced her way in between the line of people crossing the road sliding the gun down the side of her skirt and back into it's holster. Her right hand freed her cellphone.

'Damian turned out to be a waste of time. He burned all evidence of her murder. Which means that Le Chiffre hasn't committed any crime on American soil that we can hold over him,and prevents us from having any leads on his whereabouts. I don't even know if he's in Manhattan right now”

Bond groaned and clicked his tongue. “Alright. So we can't hold him responsible for the death of Amy Rogers,but we know he's here. Even with the evidence buried. Don't give up yet'

“When have you ever known me to give up? She retorted, pulling one of her cigarettes free, lighting up with one hand and letting the toxins soothe her lungs. “Did you tell your new toys that we think Le Chiffre committed murder here?”

“There was no reason too. I figured we'd be able to handle that one ourselves”

“Don't get into the habit of keeping secrets. They'll always come back to bite you in the balls” She reminded him, glancing at the street.

Bond chuckled darkly. “Keep me posted” 

“Of course,darling.” She snapped the phone shut, taking two more steps before vanishing into a dimly lit night club.

~~

Evening was falling over Baltimore, a dull orange glow blanketing the streets as he drove his Bentley further and further down the highway,tailing after his prey at a respectable distance. The Second Waltz by Dmitri Shostakovich played on his radio, creating a meditative but exciting atmosphere for him.

His trombone player was stopped at the stop sign, unable to move from the now flat tire keeping him grounded. Annoyed,he climbed out and tried to call for a tow truck,but his cellphone was unable to connect. Or even turn on.

Hannibal smirked, feeling the weight of the cellphones battery in his pocket,alongside the small ice pick. Ridiculous how easy it was to slaughter pigs.

Pulling his car over behind the trombone players, he made his way over to the man, moving carefully. The other turned and looked so relieved. “Oh thank god,I seem to have a flat and my cellphones dead,could you give me a lift?” he asked. So hopeful. So bright eyed with his relief at being saved from walking to the nearest gas station.

Hannibal approached him laying a hand upon his shoulder. 'Of course I can” other hand lashed out from his pocket, wrapping the thick metal wire around the trombone players neck and grabbing it with his other hand once it was all the way around, pulling from side to side.

The colour drained from the man's face,choked gasps cut off before they could leave his purpling tongue,knees sagging and crouching forward,as if he were making to pray.

Hannibal went with him,tugging on the cords tighter and tighter,until his head threatened to snap off his neck completely, blood starting to seep down into his shirt collar. Hannibal was grateful for his hand plastic suit.

Eyes rolled back a final time, moving loosely in their sockets as dull,dead weight sagged against Hannibal's body. The music reached it's peak just as Hannibal let go of the wire,laying the man against the pavement and bringing him into his arms,bridal style. Blood dripped onto the road and Hannibal sighed, softly.

“Such a mess you've made' voice heavy and thick with disapproval, carrying him to his own car and laying him against the back seat, undressing the trombonist clinically and letting the clothes fall to their own pile on the floor.

Flicking open a switch blade,Hannibal hummed in time with the music as he carved open the chest cavity, prying apart the ribs and letting the bones push open from side to side like curtains. All he needed was the lungs,and time was starting to become something of an issue.

Annoyed,Hannibal dropped the knife and gripped the lungs with both hands, glad that he had thought to put latex gloves over his own black leather ones as he did so,yanking them from the body with enough force to make the trombonist jerk against the seat of his car.

He hated being rushed. But the sun was nearly set, there was no more time to waste. No time to properly humiliate the man for his unfortunate personality. Sliding off the seat,he made his way to the Bentley with the lungs, wrapping them in plastic and setting them upon the ice of the cooler. Slamming it's lid shut before walking back to the Nissan driven by the trombonist, holding a cleaver in his right hand.

Moving fast,Hannibal slammed the cleaver into joints, tearing the limbs from the man's body with single strokes, placing them in various places in the Nissan. A leg behind the steering wheel, a foot on the drivers seat, a hand on the wind shield. Until there was nothing left of the man but parts.

By the time Hannibal was done, his hair had come undone and was hanging over his face, the faintest sheen of sweat cresting at his brow. Blood splattered across his cheek and nose. A glimmer of it against his lips,licking it up with a single swipe of his tongue across the flesh. His face was wiped with his pocket square,holding it to the road and lighting it, stamping the ashes out with his foot.

Turning,Hannibal drove home just as darkness took over.

~~  
Will groaned, stretching his pleasantly sore back as he rolled in the silk sheets. Satisfied and sated, he felt the present return to him lazily, his mind basking in the heady after glow.

Forcing himself into a sitting position,Will glanced around for Hannibal, though he wasn't all that shocked to see that he was alone. Hannibal tended to rise before him,if he slept at all. He seemed to always have something to occupy his time with. Fingers reached out,grabbing the note,which he read with a little smile. Of course,Hannibal would insist on only the finest,freshest ingredients for this dinner. So eager to please.

Pushing the covers aside, Will padded naked to the bathroom, splashing water in his face and scrubbing at his stubble,considering shaving before deciding to stick with it. Besides, Hannibal,for all his complaning,liked the slightly scruffy look,finding it a unique contrast to himself. Will was considering nice bath before Hannibal came home, kneeling by the tub and turning on the taps before he heard his cellphone ringing in the next room.

Sighing, hoping to god it wasn't Jack calling to say he changed his mind, Will grabbed the annoying device,bringing it to his ear.

“Will Graham”

“Indeed you are, Agent Graham, so nice of you to remind me”

Will frowned,feeling dread wash over him. 'Le Chiffre”

'Oh so you ARE as bright as you are cute. That's good to hear. I'm afraid we don't have much time, Agent Graham. This is more of a...friendly gesture,if you will. Keep on your toes, watch your self. Never know what's going to happen,do you?”

“What do you mean,what do you-?”

A beep was the only thing that greeted Will,the call display blocked and blank.


	5. Dark Embrace

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the descriptions of the dinner presented here. I am terrible at culinary arts and fine society things.
> 
> The name 'Livy' is a reference to Livy the Scholar,who wrote down the History of Hannibal. (As in,Hannibal the historical figure) I'm a nerd. (Also they are ages 21 (Hannibal) and 19 (Le Chiffre) in the flashback
> 
> Also, uh.. the ending of this chapter. Please don't kill me. Trust me guys,trust me!

By the time Hannibal pulled up into the driveway,there was a light glowing in his sitting room, Will's shadow pacing behind the rich rust coloured curtains hanging over the wide French windows. Hannibal felt a contemplative frown spreading across his face,lips pursed. Will only paced like that when he was truly distressed,and he wondered what had happened in the last two hours that had stirred him so.

Killing the engine,he grabbed the cooler and made his way into the house, bending to untie his shoes and slide into the black velvet slippers he kept near the door. Sliding the lungs out of the cooler,he pushed them into the fridge, cooler stashed in the closet as he entered the living room, Will nearly colliding into his chest when he did so.

'Oh. You're home' Will greeted, running his hands through already messy hair. Looking adorably dishevelled, in the black satin robe belonging to Hannibal. Said robes owner frowned deeper,grabbing his wrists,applying pressure against the joints to keep him still. 'What troubles you,Will?”

For a moment,it seemed as though Will wasn't going to say anything,Hannibal could see a fort being constructed in his eyes, the pupils dilating as his eyes jerked back and forth. Forts that Hannibal was spending careful,long hours destroying. There would be no hindrance in his work, his fingers sliding back to Will's throat, splaying across the flesh and squeezing just so,applying gentle,but determinate pressure.

Will inhaled, “Le Chiffre called me. There was no ID,but I just know it was him” Swallowing against the gentle pressure that was increasing slightly. Panic rising, Will trembled, feeling the heavy,broad fingers squeeze tighter. Stars washed against his vision,dancing pinpricks rolling over Hannibal's face. Unable to read the psychiatrists expression as he exerted possessive, dominant energy.

'What did he say,Will?” Hannibal murmured, convinced that he had Will grounded out. Placated. 

“That I should keep on my toes..and uh..” He flushed,unsure if it was from the lack of oxygen or the memory.

Hannibal tilted his head,waiting. Will sighed.

'That I'm as 'cute as I am smart'' he huffed, feeling exasperated. “He operates with humiliation,believe me, I saw what he did to Agent Bond. Your brother has a sick sense of humor'

Of course,he wasn't the only one,but Will didn't know that. Fingers squeezing, Hannibal tugged Will closer into his body,pulling him flush against his chest, until their heartbeats aligned. Hearing the gasp that Will swallowed from the shock. 

'Calm yourself,Will” words a caress against his flesh. Making it ripple as though it'd been touched. “He's a tease. Don't fret about words. He's being tracked,he can't hurt you with a voice”

“That..doesn't mean that I'm going to sit here being ignorant. I've already texted Jack,he said he'll keep an eye out”

In retrospect,it may have been the wrong thing to say, Will saw something flash,dark and primal in Hannibal's eyes,and he swallowed in alarm. Though it vanished just as quickly,he'd seen it all the same. Shivering lightly under the satin.

“Why didn't you call me first?” He asked,sounding slightly petulant. Will's eyebrows raised. 

'You never answer your phone when driving”

'I'd prefer you call me first in the future,Will. After all,I can help you more readily than Jack can. If my lack of responding to the call worries you, then I shall be more mindful,alright?”

Will didn't think it was such a big deal,but he was far too tired to argue,nor was he all that eager too. 'Yes yes fine, I'll call you first,okay?”

Pleased,Hannibal let his hand slide from Will's throat, running up into his curls,playing with the tangle of them at the base of Will's skull,drinking in the way Will's eyes closed at the motion. 'Thank you. For now,however. I suggest you dress. While you might look absolutely delightful like this,I'm not too sure our guest will agree”  
Will snorted gracelessly,pulling out of the tender hold with some reluctance. Near the beginning of their intimate relationship,Hannibal had taken immediate note of how starved for human touch and physical contact Will was, making a point to pay extra attention too it. Casually initiating contact whenever appropriate.

His efforts were met with gentle relaxation from Will, easy calm coming more readily,accompanied by far less mood swings and twitching about. Now,his hands slid around Hannibal's waist, tongue sliding lightly against Hannibal's lower lip. “Hmm. Suppose you're right, care to assist?”

Growling lowly in the back of his throat,Hannibal returned the kiss, nipping gently at Will's tongue before pulling himself away,once more. Forcing space between them. “If I believed I'd be able to work any clothes on to your body,I would. However,I must prepare dinner” Sliding his hand possessively down the curve of Will's ass for a moment. 'But later,perhaps. When you're no longer required to be dressed, you are spending the night,after all”

Will grinned, accepting the bargain for the moment. 'Yes,that is true. I'll be down in a few minutes, I'll set the table,if you like”

'That would be most helpful,the setting chart is in the top left hand drawer,as always” Beginning to turn around and head into his kitchen. Will nodded, heading for the staircase. 

Hannibal hummed, shrugging out of his suit coat and sliding his apron around his waist, washing his hands and bringing the lungs from the fridge. Setting to work on focusing on cooking and how much better satin looked on Will,than plaid.

~~

At exactly seven pm,the grandfather clock striking it's last bong,the doorbell rang, Hannibal stepping aside to allow Agent Bond into the room. He had changed,but his clothes were still a standard black suit and black tie affair. Hannibal wondered for a moment if the British Agent owned any other style.

'Agent Bond,please do come in' greeting his dinner guest with a cordial smile. Noticing that Bond wasn't entirely comfortable around him just yet. Judging by the way he smiled politely,but kept a decidedly impolite distance between the two of them. 'Will is already in the dining room,putting the finishing touches on the napkins.

“Quite the formal affair then,Dr Lecter?” James asked, making sure to wipe the bottom of his shoes on the provided carpet. 

“I was brought up with the belief that few things are as grand in a home setting as a prepared meal,and I do so enjoy the efforts that go into it. Please,follow me' Leading James into the dark blue main dining room with his shoulder,seeing that Will was already standing properly behind his chair,waiting for them to arrive. 

“Good Evening Special Agent Graham' Bond greeted, smiling wry when he saw that Will's 'efforts' to dress himself up consisted of ironing his red plaid shirt, tucking it into dark brown khaki's and throwing a slightly old dinner jacket over the combination. 'Is this the FBI's version of dressing up?”

Will pulled his glasses from his pocket, fiddling with them before sliding them over his eyes,staring at James over the top of the frames. 'Just how I dress' he all but muttered,staring down at the ornately decorated table. 

'There does not appear to be a single suit among Will's wardrobe' Hannibal explained, gesturing for James and Will to sit. 'Though I'm certain that I might be able to change that soon enough'

'Don't get your hopes up,Dr Lecter' Will warned. “I'm more than happy with how I dress, thank you”

“That may be so,but there is something to be said about dressing appropriately for certain occasions. If you would excuse me,I will bring us the dinner.” Disappearing from the dining room once more. James leaned back in his chair as soon as the doctor was gone, watching Will across the glasses,letting his foot poke the top of the Agent's loafer.

Will frowened, pulling his feet back until they were completely under the chair. “Something you need,Agent Bond” he asked,sounding more put out than Bond expected. Completely recoiling both in his mind and in his body. “People make you nervous,don't they?” James asked, no hint of judgement in his tone. Just casual observation. Watching as Will's eyes narrowed behind his glasses, only for their master to lean forward, nose nearly touching James'.

“When you can re-construct a person's thoughts with a single look,you don't exactly desire to get too close. Agent Bond. It doesn't usually come with the best results” James didn't flinch,though he could tell Will was using a poor attempt to rattle him.

“Belittling yourself doesn't help either' he replied, quietly. “You have a great deal of control over what you do,otherwise you'd not be here today. You'd be locked up. Behind bars. Where the only people who can access you are doctors carrying needles that keep you quiet. Should give yourself a little more credit. Agent Graham.”

That seemed to catch Will by surprise, James could see the thought sinking in. The way his hyper sensitive brain catalogued it and thought it over. He didn't reply,instead leaning back in his chair and picking up his water glass. Swallowing the liquid to distract himself. No matter. Bond knew his words were taken to heart.

Hannibal's re-emergence,weighed down with plates cut the tension in the room,bringing warmth with him both in the plates and his presence. If he noticed something was off,he pretended not too. “Gentlemen, I present you with brazed beef lungs, saturated with mushroom and garlic sauce, cooked on open flame to give it a perfect texture that is tender on the outside and perfectly juicy on the inside. When you bite, the garlic will mix with the meat.' He set the first plate in front of James,the second in front of Will. “Sided with steamed eggplant, soaked in the juice of mulled Sassicaia Rochetta, steamed salted carrots and asparagus. Topped with fried caviare” The final plate was set by Hannibal's still empty chair. “Finally,to drink, a recently opened bottle of, as previously mentioned, Sassicaia Rochetta”

Looking down at his plate,Will felt a familiar intimidation. Sometimes,he felt that Hannibal's food was as terrifying as meeting new people was. It was always so intricate, so well done and extravagant that he felt small in comparison. James just looked delighted,staring at his plate with the same kind of hunger Will had seen on a wolf about to devour a rabbit.

'It looks fantastic Dr Lecter, do you always provide such elaborate meals?” He asked,fingers itching to grab his fork. Hannibal smiled benignly at him, pulling his own chair out and taking a seat,tucking himself into the table. 'Almost every single night. As I said, I do enjoy my creature comforts'

“Damn well seems to be worth it' James all but whistled. Hannibal spread his hands out, letting them know that it was okay to start eating.

'I am inclined to agree,please,enjoy'

James picked up his first fork and knife, cutting into the beef lungs and sliding it into his mouth,oblivious to Hannibal and Will's eyes on him. Will was curious to see if the meal would win yet another person over,as Hannibal's meals often did. Hannibal was watching for completely different reasons. 

With every meal served,another person flew into his net. Inserted themselves beneath him. Where they belonged. It was like a test. Seeing if you were worth keeping around. Able to be trusted in his circle.

The light groan that accompanied the low swallow brought a twisted smirk to Hannibal's mouth,his own food currently untouched. “This is amazing,Dr Lecter' James all but gushed,taking another bite perhaps a little bit to fast. 'Are you sure you should be sitting a desk and not feeding the world?”

Will chuckled, getting started with his own food, chewing slowly and finely. “Many of us have voiced the same question,Agent Bond. Hannibal does wonderful things with food' James all but purred,half way through his fifth bite. 'Indeed he does”

Hannibal smiled,bringing his wine to his lips,inhaling it's flavour before swallowing. Still able to smell the lightest traces of Will's earlier release on his skin. Excited and pleased by it. Content to loose himself in the meal and easy conversation that followed.

~~

By the time the trio was working it's way through a delicious dessert of red velvet cake and vanilla mousse,topped with cherries and raspberries, Bond had enraptured the two men with tales of his globe hopping. Explaining how Le Chiffre operated while throwing in the occasional quip to lighten the tone. Will stared primarily at the ceiling,his plate,and Hannibal. But he was paying very close attention to James' words. Hannibal was mostly watching Will stutter his way through the sentences.

'So he banks with stocks,then?” Will asked,gripping the table a little bit more tightly than was strictly needed. 

“He used to control stocks. But he managed to gamble away all of his clients money. I doubt it's just me he's hiding from these days. Yet, it's hard to say. Le Chiffre stabbed a lot of people behind the back, under the table dealings. He's managed to always keep a steady stream of underlings despite it'

'They follow him because he protects them. You said that he manages to find a way to work things out despite all short comings. That's enough to keep people in his circle,is it not?” Hannibal asked, taking another sip of his wine.

'Seems to be. He managed to pay someone $50,000 to cover up a murder. He's getting intel or funding from somewhere. I just don't know where. But if we trace the money,we should be able to find him,shouldn't we?”  
'We can hope' Will coughed,barely noticing that Hannibal gently stole his wine glass, leaving Will with only water.

Sensing opportunity at his hands, James took the chance to nudge at Will's loafers again,grinning a little when the Agent didn't move them. Glancing between Will and Hannibal, he wrapped his hands around his own wine glass,bringing it to his lips. After he swallowed,he asked. 'So what's the deal with you two then?”

Will blinked at him. Hannibal didn't seem to move at all. Le Chiffre employed the same level of deadly calm. James found it unnerving, so he focused on the tipsy empath.

“Deal?”

'Yeah,you know. Are you friends,lovers? Fuck buddies,bangers,friends who shag, that sort of thing?”

Hannibal's pupils dilated at the bluntness,black circles contracting in the maroon depths. Will coughed violently into his glass of water, inhaling a significant amount of water up both nostrils. Which only made him gag. Hannibal grabbed the glass in one hand and lowered it,bringing Will's napkin up from his lap and against his nose,instructing for him to blow while slapping him firmly on the back. James watched the exchange with great amusement, rolling a raspberry over his tongue. 

'Lovers then' he announced. Mostly to himself,fork over his empty plate. “If that blush is any indicator”

“We have been dating for a short while,if that's what you were trying to convey, albeit in a significantly more crude manner' Hannibal offered, watching Will's face carefully. Figuring him to be okay when he glared venomously at James. Squirming out of Hannibal's hold. “Are you always so blunt,Agent Bond?” Will half growled,tugging on the cuffs of his sleeve.

“Usually. Why dance around issues when time is ever finite?” Will sighed, pulling his napkin back into his lap.

'Shall I help you clean?” James offered, standing to pick up the plates. Hannibal smiled lightly. 'A guest is not required to tidy, Agent Bond. Please, seat yourself”

Bond did, only to feel a buzzing in his pocket. Frowning,he withdrew the device and staring at the text message. 'Shit sorry. Please,excuse me. I can't avoid this”

Hannibal and Will managed to nod at the same time. James snickered despite his new annoyance. 'Of course,please allow for me to show you out” Hannibal offered,guiding James from the dining room with a hand in the middle of his back.

“Sorry about this' James muttered. 'Being on call and all. It seems like such a hasty way to depart from such an elegant meal”

'Not at all,Agent Bond. I quite understand. We will find ourselves in each others company tomorrow morning. I thank you for attending'

James saluted with two fingers, stepping back out into the night. Hannibal closing the door only when he couldn't see the man anymore. Locking the heavy wood behind himself, Hannibal stepped back into the dining room, seeing that Will had his eyes closed,glasses folded beside the plate, head tipped back in the chair. 

Approaching him with a look that might have been fondness, Hannibal laid a hand to Will's shoulder, gently easing him up by hooking his arm under Will's. “It is amazing what a good wine does to you' He muttered, nose grazing the side of Will's cheek. 'Come, too bed with you”

~~

_He'd been followed. His follower not at all subtle about it. Hannibal had allowed it purely because he knew the one who trailed behind. Watching him without uttering a single sound, even when there was arterial spray from a punctured lung that went far back enough to hit them both._

_Her body was laid out against the hard wood of the table, candles and lanterns lighting his way, only the body illuminated as he tore through the ribs, blood coated his cheeks, slid down his nose, over his teeth. Knowing that he was going to have to devise a method that prevented such mess. But the taste,metallic and rich against his tongue,rolling down his throat._

_Warming him from the inside. The only time he truly felt warm. But it wasn't time to savour,it was time to embrace his little shadow. Turning, he reached out, bloody knife he'd in a bare hand, extending it to the younger man only a hairsbreadth away._

_'You've come this far, Livy. Make a choice'_

_His brother inhaled sharply,though Hannibal could see the dark excitement in his eyes, tongue running over his lip as he approached the body, his own dry hand wrapping around the bloodied knife,standing at Hannibal's side. Waiting for instruction._

_Hannibal stepped back,sliding his hand to Livy's shoulder. 'See that kidney? Hiding behind the ribs and stomach?”_

_Livy nodded, bending his head down and licking a stripe of blood up from the corpse's neck, feeling Hannibal stiffen behind him. Hot through his clothes. “I see it' he whispered, hands twitching. He wanted to do what Hannibal had. Although he was far more interested in imaging the screams she'd made as she died than what was inside her. People were beautiful in pain._

_Hannibal's fingers slid over his own, sticky,hot. “Pull it out”_

~~

“Hannibal!” A new voice cut through the darkness, and Hannibal felt the last traces of the dream memory fade away,staring into Will's panicked blue eyes. Noticing that Will had turned the light on. Sweat covered his hair, soaked into his face, bare torso gleaming.

His cellphone was grasped in his hand, shaking violently. Hannibal grabbed for it before it fell. “Will,what is it?” He asked,voice rough and deep with sleep.

'Listen just..” Will trembled,unable to talk. “It's a message. Left a moment ago, we have to leave, now! Get up,get dressed,let's go!'

Hannibal gripped Will's shoulder. 'Let me play the message” pushing the button on the phone,hearing Le Chiffre's smooth,smug voice cut though the air.

“I told you to look out,Will. Do you know what terrorists do? Hmm? You have thirty minutes. Unless you want your dogs to go sky high'


	6. TNT Skies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've altered my writing style a tad,specifically tailoring it for this chapter. I also realize that it would be entirely impossible to drive from Baltimore to Wolf Trap in under thirty minutes. I've taken some creative liberty here. I just wanted to take a moment to say that I really do appreciate the comments I get on this. They make me very happy and provide fuel for which to write. So thank you all,once again! Thank you for sharing this little adventure with me.

_11:45pm, Baltimore._

He was distracted. Perhaps for the first time in a long time. The uncommon feeling of actual worry plaguing his mind as he trailed away from Hannibal's house, sliding into the fine black leathered seating of his rental Maybatch 62 Sedan.

Maybe worry wasn't the right word for it. Though the lingering gaze he gave to Hannibal's semi-dark house,lights still on in the dining room, watching Will Graham over the steering wheel before forcing himself to pull away, shaking his head with a small scoff.

'He's a grown man,Bond. Pull yourself together'. Yet he was known for being perceptive; and the nagging in the back of his mind whenever he glanced towards Dr Hannibal Lecter, wondering exactly how safe the twitchy profiler was in the man's esteemed presence. Attempting to ignore the fact that looking at Hannibal sent a cold chill through him. Maybe not sinister, but something vaguely mythotic. Alluring. In all the wrong ways.

Perhaps it was just elements of PTSD tinkering with him. Tricking him,fooling him. A lasting worry brought on by the man's uncanny resemblance to his dangerous half-sibling.

Still, he couldn't stop himself from wondering just how different they really are. Le Chiffre carried the same dark,vacant expression when he thought no one was looking. An expression poor Will was either oblivious too or actively ignoring due to his infatuation with his psychiatrist.

Berating himself for being silly and paranoid, James rounded the corner into the alleyway, illuminated by a club sign that proclaimed it was, “Oriana's Oasis”. An oasis for men with never ending pockets and sad girls. Fascinating, if you were shallow and pathetic. 

Or, well. Him.

Pulling the car over at the side of the road, he swung his legs from the vehicle,slamming the door shut behind him and approaching the cross walk, intent on heading for the twenty four hour donut diner, stopped by precise fingers sinking into the flesh at the junction of shoulder and collarbone. Index finger trailing down the line of the back of his neck,down each node in his spinal column.

It tickled. He pretended it didn't. 

“Does mommy know that were out late hanging around strip clubs?” The master of the hand whispered, drawing up the hairs on his ear, friction making his flesh spark just so. 

“Does mummy know we escaped from our time out in the basement?” he shot back, forcing himself not to turn around and see what might as well have been a more psychotic mirror image.

“Some rats chew their way out”

“Some rats should have their teeth removed, but..oh”

The slightly exasperated sigh he got for that was nearly worth it. He let himself grin, feeling the hand spin him around, annoyed that he could do that so easily, forcing him to stare into dancing aquamarine eyes and a wide,playful grin that sparked annoyed excitement each time he looked at it. 

“Must you always be so unpleasant James?” Silva nearly pouted,lower lip jutting out the way a child's might. 

“Why are you even here?” James redirected, thinking that he should step back a foot,or two. Making no move to actually do so.

“I'm helping”

James raised a brow, feeling his forehead arch with the movement.

“Helping. Elaborate'

Silva sighed again,rolling his eyes skyward, wondering not for the first time how James managed to get as far as he did when he was just so _cranky_ all the time. All that wasted energy when they could be sitting,having tea. Was pleasant conversation really asking for so much?

“I have eyes and ears where you don't see them,hear them,or want them. Le Chiffre might be hiding but he's not untraceable, if you know what you're doing. Which I doubt this amusing Americans do”

James convinced himself not to think too hard about exactly WHERE Silva might have eyes. Reminding himself to double check his hotel room whenever he managed to get back too it. “hey're not so bad so far. Does M know you came here?”

Silva just stared at him. As if forcing James to consider the obvious.

“Of course not' he sighed, feeing incredibly tired all of a sudden. His body reminding him that his blood was not coffee.

“Come,Mr Bond. Is it really so hard to believe that I want to help you catch Le Chiffre?”

James blinked.

Silva miraculous,pouted even further, sighing dramatically.

'Oh fine. Maybe I just want to level the playing field a little.”

“Aww. Too much competition for you?”

'He's exhausting”

“Do your legs hurt that much?”

“Not for the reasons I want them too”

Shaking his head, James curled and uncurled his fingers, glancing at his watch.

_12:05am._

“You're buying me a drink” pointing aggressively at Silva's white jacketed chest.

Silva smirked, 

'Is that all I can buy you?”

'Bar. Now”

~~

_1:15am, Baltimore. Hannibal's House._

“Where are your key's Hannibal?!?” Will shouted for the seventh time in twenty seconds, rattling the door of the Bentley as if though it would magically spring open. He could practically hear the clock ticking in his head. 

His dogs. Le Chiffre had done something to his dogs. They had thirty minutes to get them and it was an hours drive to Wolf Trap. Sweat ran down his temple,soaking into his collar.

Will tugged on the door faster, only for Hannibal to grab his fingers, taking them from the plastic. “I have the keys. Will. But it won't do us any good' Hannibal grimaced.

Will was too hysterical to notice that Hannibal was actively showing displeasure. “What do you mean it won't do us any good?” he shouted, grabbing Hannibal's lapels and attempting to push the mass of him against the side of the Bentley. ''All you have to do is open this fucking car and start the engine!”

Hannibal crouched on a single knee, dragging Will down with him via a sharp,painful tug on Will's wrist. With a long finger,he pointed to the hole in the gas gouge, a pool of flammable liquid pouring out of the vehicle. 

Colour and air drained from Will all at once, he swayed, falling into the line of Hannibal's body while the bigger man pulled them to their feet.

“I have contacted Agent Bond' Hannibal explained, rubbing small circles on Will's back to calm him,relax him. “He's still in the area, he promised to give us a lift. Just try to relax Will”

Will bristled. 'They're my dogs,Hannibal! I don't....I don't..” he swallowed, breathing coming in short, rapid bursts that sparked pain through his rib cage and lungs. “There's nothing..”

A long time ago, Will had figured he was too old for sobbing.

He was wrong.

Hannibal noticed the tears before he did,pulling Will closer into his chest and flicking his tongue against their salty texture. The motion forced Will back to the present, bringing his mind back online as he shuddered in Hannibal's grip.

Neither man saw the sleek black line of Bond's car pulling up until he honked the horn,sticking his head out the window, a button opening the doors automatically.

'Are you waiting for a written invitation or what?” he called out. 

Will pulled himself from Hannibal,sliding into the back seat so fast he nearly slammed his head into the ceiling. Saved a head injury from the passenger in the front.

'Watch your head now, curly one” Will ignored him, not knowing or caring who he was. At least right now.

Hannibal followed in seconds later, buckling Will's set belt for him. Then his own,letting his hand return to the back of Will's neck,squeezing the muscles there to try and relax him.

James hit another button,slamming the doors closed. “Would you shush.” He snapped at Silva,who was chuckling dryly. “Where are we going,Will?” Bond asked,glancing at Will's pasty complexion in the mirror. A strange, unfamiliar knot tightened a little in the pit of James stomach. Companions in misery, he thought.

'Wolf Trap, Virginia. It's an hour from Baltimore,there's no way were going to make it in time and-' Will gasped,leaning back into Hannibal's touch as nausea washed over him. James pushed on the gas pedal,tossing a GPS at Silva.

'Only an hour when people who aren't me are driving. You. Make yourself useful,chart it'

Silva smirked, obediently typing in the coordinates while James gunned the gas, almost lurching Hannibal and Will forward in the back seat. “Do I get a treat?” he asked, waggling his eyebrows.

'Oh my god you are worse than he is' Will groaned,searching Hannibal's eyes for reassurance. Tight strings of panic making him sweat anew. Ends of his hair soaked. Hannibal tilted his head forward, feeling the ground moving under his feet with how fast the car was moving. Far faster than should be logical.

Turning Will's head towards him, Hannibal ran his nose down Will's,forcing him to look into his eyes and not at the lines of the street blurring through the window, horns honking while James ran red lights,stop signs and every other sign on the road. He swerved through lines of traffic in ways that should not be possible. Silva narrating when they had to take other turns.

 _1:25am._ Shone out on the clock. 

Hannibal saw Will notice it out of the corner of his eye and dug his fingers in more. Will whimpered in the back of his throat, hands darting forward and gripping the firm,pleated lines of Hannibal's plaid trousers. Knuckles white.  
“I can't lose my dogs, Hannibal' Will whispered, fingers contracting against his thighs. 

'You wont, Will. You won't' Hannibal promised, forcing Will's face into the crook of his neck, right eye catching the glance of Bond's in the mirror. For a brief second,the two men stared at each other before Bond tore his gaze away, focusing once more on breaking the laws of physics and time with his driving.

_1:40am, Wolf Trap,Virgina. Will's Home_

Only ten impossible minutes later but what had felt like an eternity to Will,they pulled into the driveway of his home. It was dark, unassuming and completely quiet. James hadn't even stopped the car before Will thrust himself out, feet rolling under him as he tried to run for the door. 

'Wait,Will!' James shouted. Stopping the car and running for the Agent, grabbing his coat in both hands and pulling him back from the door.

'Let me go, Bond! We've only got five minutes left!' Will snarled,ripping himself from Bond's grasp. James thrust himself in front of Will while Silva and Hannibal came up behind them. Lowering to a crouch,James pointed at the thin,clear line stretching across the front of Will's porch.

Will swallowed.

Trip wire.

“Another step and you'd have killed those dogs yourself' James chastised. Standing back up and pointing at Silva.

'Pull the car up as close to this porch as you can. Dr Lecter, stay on this side of the wire. When Silva comes back, put the dogs into the car one by one. Will, go inside and grab your dogs. Hand them to me, I'll be on the porch,handing them to Dr Lecter,now go!'

Will nodded, stepping over the trip wire with ease. Kicking his door open with a single foot. Not bothering to waste the time on the lock.

All seven of his dogs greeted him anxiously. Tails wagging and fur standing on end. They whined at him, trying to climb up him. Will bent and grabbed the one with the over bite,hearing the Sedan pull up. A flash in the corner of his eye distracted him and he felt his stomach roll when he notice a thick,black box with a green dial staring back at him. Mounted between pictures on the fireplace mantel.

 **3:00** glared at him. 

“Will! Come on!” Bond shouted, arms outstretched for the dog. Will passed him the animal, jerking his head at the box on the fireplace mantel. James cursed, turning his head to hand Hannibal the dog.

'Hurry! Move faster! All of you!' Will bent, grabbing another dog,and another one. Moving in tandem,they got nearly all of the dogs into the Sedan, Will cursing when he only counted six.

“Where is Winston?” he shouted,shooting another glance at the dial. Feeling a ticking he knew wasn't even there as he stared back at it.

**1:30**

James stepped over the threshold, looking at the dial as well. “What is going on,Will?”

“I can't find Winston! Winston! Come on boy where are you!?”

James pushed his way past Will, moving towards the bedroom. 'He's under the bed!' He called out. “Curled up!”

“Fucking..Winston come on!”

James gripped both ends of the bed, throwing the heavy frame up and hearing it crash into the wall,ignoring the way Winston barked and growled at him. Will darted past Bond and scooped the frightened animal into his arms, spinning back around.

“Shh. Shh. Shh. It's okay boy. He cooed. 'Its okay. It's okay. You're gonna be okay. We just need to go outside, that's it now come on' Speaking mostly into Winston's pelt.

**0:45**

Hannibal met Will and Winston at the door,concerned by the amount of time he and Bond were taking. Will handed Winston over, watching Hannibal bring the dog to the Sedan,the doors of the vehicle slamming shut as he was finally placed with the rest of the pack.

From his place at the fireplace, James shouted. Trying to see if there was a way to disarm the bomb. Unable to find one,he cursed and spun back around, shoving Hannibal and Will out the door with his body. All three men jumped the trip wire, running down the steps. James banged on the glass of the Sedan's driver side. Silva rolled the window down. “Grab onto the back if you can!”

' We can't there's nowhere to do so, just dive,Silva, drive!' Bond commanded. 

Silva gave him a pained look but complied,gunning the engine.

**0:05**

Caught up in the ashes of the car, James shoved Hannibal and Will, a hand on each shoulder. Hannibal appeared to be watching Will. Will had turned back around. Watching his house,seemingly dazed.

'Run!”

Will blinked, abruptly snapping out of it as he took off. Hannibal pushed himself forward and ran alongside Will. James keeping pace in the middle of them.

**0:03**

Everything was a blur. Will's lungs tore at his rib cage, unable to catch his breath properly as he ran and ran. Glancing at Hannibal to make sure that he was still running alongside of him. Not nearly as out of breath or having as much trouble with the exerting exercise as he would have expected him to have. Will shook his head fondly, caught up in the adrenaline of the moment. Bond was flying. A little ways ahead of them. Body nothing more than a long black blur as he glided. 

****0:00** **

The ground vibrated. A single pulse charged under their feet. Will and Hannibal both felt lifted while James swore, planting his feet and grabbing for the other two men. 

Hands on the backs of each of their necks, James shoved them face first to the ground. 

“Get down, get down!” 

Will's hands automatically covering the back of his head. Hannibal's and Bond's doing the same as air and heat rushed above them. Will's ears felt like they were filled with cotton balls all of a sudden, feeling his clothes ripple,spots exploding beneath his closed eyes. Smoke filling his nose, his mouth. Choking him from the inside out as debris and falling rocks piled around them. 

Unable to register anything except for Hannibal's ankle hooking over his own. Spiralling into darkness. 


	7. Mortality

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew! This chapter was a bit of a monster, considering it's the turning point in our story :). Thanks for sticking with me everyone! I hope you are all having as much fun as I am. Also,some places are made up. By me. Least,I think!

Standing bathed in blue and red lights, sirens ringing in her ears, Alana Bloom wondered why she got mixed up with the FBI in the first place. A normal, non FBI affiliated psychiatrist would work Monday to Friday,nine to five and never get a terrible phone call in at 1:50 am from an uncharacteristically worried sounding Jack Crawford.

'Alana. It's..it's Will's house. It's...exploded'

The call should have been unreal. Would have been unreal in any of her other colleagues lives. She had never gotten up so fast in her life, dressing hastily and making the drive to Wolf Trap,knowing that no amount of self preparation could possibly steel her to the sight that greeted her when she finally managed to arrive.

Skirt blowing lightly in the wind,she had to swallow against the lump forming in her throat when she saw the flaming pile that was all that remained of Will's house. Firetrucks, cop cars and ambulances surrounded the place. Paramedics and cops were scouring the rubble, trying to find Will's body. Firefighters worked to contain the blaze,and Jack stood in the middle of it all,looking pensive.

“Do we know anything yet?” Jack snapped at her by way of greeting, knowing that Beverly,Jimmy and Brian were on they're way to investigate what had caused Will's house to go up in smoke. “Is he even here?”

“I don't know,Jack. Why don't we keep looking and see if Will is even ALIVE and then we'll deal with the details later. I'm far more concerned with finding Will. If you don't mind' Alana replied cooly,hiding her worry as best as she could with the tone. 

She doubted it sounded convincing.

Jack took a deep breath,but he stopped talking. Which Alana figured meant he agreed.

'Agent Crawford!” A medic shouted, lifting up the remains of Will's couch,fireplace and porch with the aide of two cops and another medic. Both Alana and Jack turned towards the voice at the same time. 

“We found a body! No...three bodies!'

Alana and Jack stared at each other for a split second.

“Three?!” Jack shouted,turning and running towards the medic who was demanding stretchers. “The hell are you talking about?!”

“Definitely three. Two brunettes and a blonde,all men”

Alana felt air moving from her lungs, blood draining out of her head as dizziness threatened to override her senses. 'Jack that'll be..”

“Hannibal,Will and Agent Bond' Jack replied tersely, now standing directly behind the medic, a deep,worried frown crossing his features as the other paramedics gently pried him and Alana from the rubble so they could extract the bodies.

Alana frowned as she watched two medics pull an unrecognisable blonde man out from beneath the majority of what remained of the couch and fireplace mantel, two deep cuts against his cheeks, a longer one running down his neck. Oxygen and an IV immediately strapped to his face as he was rolled into the first of the ambulances. 

She cringed when they moved down and grabbed Hannibal next, pulling him out of pieces of fridge and what might have been a back wall. One of the medics bent to pull shards of glass from his hair and back. Suit covered in dust, marred to an unrecognisable state. His face was blackened,but seemed to be bereft of cuts. Save for the one caused by glass on the side of his head. Though,his right leg was bleeding heavily. Snagged by some sort of metal. She reached out for him,but the medic gently pushed her back. 

“Please don't interfere Miss,we need to get them to the hospital as quickly as we can”

Alana nodded, pinching the bridge of her nose when they finally,finally pulled Will out. Hannibal having been covering him with part of his weight,saving him from suffering the brunt of the damage. Which was a small blessing,as he'd been buried under bricks and the large frame of his bedding.

A gash covered the right side of Will's head. Glass decorated his back. But aside from that, he appeared to be less affected than the blonde one and Hannibal. Alana made a mental note to silently thank Hannibal later. When the third ambulance had Will inside,it pulled out, heading for the hospital. Alana tried to block out the noise of the sirens. Finding it did little to comfort her. 

Jack,who had remained completely silent during the extraction, cleared his throat. 'We are pretty sure of who did this. What we don't understand is why he's decided to target Will,but I promise you,we will find out”

Alana spun, thrusting her hands into her skirt pockets to keep from slapping the nearest object. Which,in this case,was Jack.

'I think you had better update me. I'm not stuck at a conference in New Jersey anymore, Jack'

Jack sighed. 'I will. I will I just..” 

 

'Agent Crawford?” A small voice interrupted them, Jack turned to the young officer.

'Yes?”

'Sorry to bother you sir,but we found an abandoned Maybatch 62 about a mile out from the house,it contains all of Will's dogs”

Jack nodded. 'That's the car Agent Bond had rented out for him. Somehow they must've gotten the dogs to safety before the house went up. Thank you,Officer”

Alana felt her eyebrows raising.

“Agent Bond? I keep hearing that name,but I don't know who he is. The blonde one they pulled out first?”

Jack sighed, turning and heading back for the rubble of the house,now that the flames had been extinguished. 'Come on. I'll walk and talk”

~~  
He wasn't supposed to be out. He wasn't supposed to have left his holding cell in MI-6. He had been behaving so good. Mommy was even visiting him every day. Once,she complimented him for his good behaviour.

Well. More accurately,she had coldly told him that maybe he'd get exercise time if he kept being so quiet. But it had sounded like a compliment in his ears. It felt good. Almost like getting a hug that carried actual warmth, instead of a meaningless grasping of dead, corpse like arms.

But when James had informed him that he wouldn't be able to visit for a few months, he had pouted, pestering him until he told him why he was leaving him. Weren't they having fun? Often forgetting during their visits that James was still an active agent with work to do. 

It took a great deal of whining,poking,prodding and nettling,but finally,James had relented and explained to him that he was chasing down someone he wanted to put away for good. 

A single flash of cold darkness in his expression had been all the convincing he'd needed. The curiosity to strong of an ache in his scars,his blood,his soul. A desire that ran hotter than fire to find out just who had hurt James so,and exactly how badly. Find out who had left so violent a mark on Bond that it made even the cockiest of grins fade from his face at the memory alone.

He'd escaped that night. Leaving M a little note of apology.

Didn't want to give mommy anymore grey hairs,after all. Although her hair couldn't possibly turn anymore grey than it was. 

It was the principle of the matter. 

When he had heard the cute little farm house explode, he waited until he saw the first of the ambulances pull out, taking a picture of it with his cellphone and hacking into the ambulances tracker. 

After that,it was a simple case of grabbing a taxi ride to the hospital, waiting the appropriate,inevitable amount of time for James and the other two men to get treated and settled into their beds. Slipping into the room the second he saw the last doctor leave, making his way to James bed and standing at the side of it.

“Oh Bond. See what all this running around does to you? It always ends up leading you back to the same place. Hooked up to crude monitors while fake life is pumped into your veins. Is this what you want? Is this the kind of grand scheme you think is worth all your time and energy?” 

A certain lack of common sense was required for addressing an unconscious body,but he liked to think that James could hear him. Even if he couldn't respond. Yet he couldn't help but feel a sort of grudging acceptance at Le Chiffre's methods. From what Silva gathered,he used bold statements to get his point across. Didn't believe in fucking around and made his intentions clear.

Better. He acted on them. One couldn't help but admire that. 

But. He'd also hurt James. He was already irredeemable in his mind. Even if they operated on the same level.

You didn't have to admire yourself,after all. 

“Are you going to sit there staring until my face becomes enflammed?” Groggy, muddled voice interrupted his thoughts, dragging his eyes downwards to where James was slowly waking.

The impulse to cover the mouth with his own and force life into it was overwhelming. Full and fierce. 

So,he did. Never was good at ignoring his instincts,after all. Sliding his lips over the chapped,cut ones. Finding them all the more beautiful for their marred appearance.  
James flinched,but he didn't actively protest, sighing lightly into Silva's mouth and pushing back. Deciding to accept him without actually saying so. Silva smiled against him,finally pulling back with a slight lick to his own lips.

“I thought you might look prettier with a few laser burns in your forehead”

'Well apparently someone beat you too it” James mumbled,glancing to his side at the other beds. Relief clear on his face when he saw that Hannibal and Will were indeed, alive and breathing. If bandaged and unconscious,still.

“Yes. Someone did. But I think I could do a better job making a mess of you' lips stretching over his crooked teeth. Fingers twitching on the fabric of his suit pants. 

James huffed,but for once,he looked amused. 

'Or more.......pleasantly?”

Silva smirked

'For who?”

“Dunno. Both?”

“I'm sure I could arrange something like that.”

'What are we even talking about anymore?” James asked,tiredly, blue eyes searching Silva's face for mockery, and scorn.

Silva frowned,feeling rage boiling underneath his skin despite himself. Didn't know where it came from or why it was there. But it was there. Violent,loud,singing through his bones and his blood,pulsing out of him in waves.

Bond saw it too. But the bed prevented him from retreating. He bit his lips when Silva grabbed at him,pushing him into the mattress and breathing heavily down the line of his neck,rage making his eyes glow harshly.

 _“What are we even talking about anymore”_ Silva echo'd back. His tone deep. No trace of the humour or amusement that always peppered his speech. Just cold,deliberate fury.

James swallowed. 

“I don't like you losing track of your train of thought so easily, Mr Bond. Especially when it concerns _me_ ” Silva hissed, teeth grazing the line of James' jawbone, the arch of it. Sinking into the flesh. Feeling James buck harshly under him before stilling. Not wanting to alert the nurses and terrified in spite of himself.

Hearing no active protest,Silva bit harder. Breaking skin,feeling the tang of cooper on his tongue, against his false teeth and palate.

He pulled back, feeling the rise and fall of Bond's chest under his body where he pinned him. Still,the Agent said nothing, watching the way his blood spread across those perfect fake teeth. The storm in the aquamarine depths staring at him coldly. 

“You can joke about your life, make quips, pretend, deny. I don't actually care what' he snarled, bracing his knees against James thighs. Applying deliberate pressure where he knew a painful cut was. “But you cannot joke about _me_. Who I am,or what I want to be for _you_ ”

Crawled off before James could respond,staring at the wide, alarmed crystal eyes. Yes. He'd caught him off guard. How pitiful. Did Bond actually need a moment to think about...about _feelings_? Did he still second guess himself? Still give things active thoughts? Bond? The impulsive,cocky,wily agent...thinking twice about things?

Of course he did. Silva ran impatient,restless hands through his hair.

'I'll let you think about it. There's something I need to find” Turning and walking out of the room with steps that were faster than they needed to be,leaving Bond with a stunned silence and confused thoughts.

Not moments after Silva's hasty departure, Bond heard the rustling of sheets a few feet away,and he turned to see that Will had woken and was climbing out of bed, gripping his IV for support and making for Hannibal.

'Will. Perhaps you should stay put for a bit. You have a pretty nasty gash on your head” James advised,not at all surprised when Will ignored him, crawling onto Hannibal's bed, sitting on his knees when he noticed just how little room there was.

Curious,James rolled his body onto it's side,watching Will with an open expression.

Will swallowed, taking in the sight of Hannibal's face. Forehead wrapped completely in bandaging,obscuring the majority of his hair. A brace wrapped tight about his upper torso. Stitches working their way down the side of his right cheek. Which Will traced over with the pad of his thumb, feeing the hard lines of the thread where it mingled with skin. Two metal bars over his nose,strapped down with medical tape. A few odd bandages over his arms. Fat padding covering his left shoulder. Of the three of them,Hannibal had taken the worst of the blast, exposing himself when he covered Will with his own body weight. Bracing his broad shoulders outwards to deflect debris from Will.

Graham seemed to be aware of this. Both of his hands framing Hannibal's face now,pushing his forehead to the psychiatrists and taking a deep breath that shuddered on the exhale. His own cut hands looking starkly pale against the tanned, damaged cheeks. Unable to help the idle tears that spilled, leaving glassy pools on Hannibal's skin. Dipping his head lower,kissing the sleeping mouth as if it were a fairytale and the action would arouse Hannibal from his sedative state.

Frowning, James pushed aside the coverings of his own bedding, sliding from the bed and making his way over to Will, rounding the side of Hannibal's bed and bracing his hand against Will's shoulder,giving a light squeeze.

'He's going to be okay,Will. He's just sleeping. I promise.' Will nodded without turning around, pulling himself up with some effort, still staring down at Hannibal. Guilty. Hating himself for dragging Hannibal from the quiet world of his office and into the chaos of his own.

'It's not supposed to be like this. He shouldn't have to deal with this. My worlds the one that's fucked up. He's the one living in the perfect house, with the pristine office. Ordered,neat. This..I..”

James seriously doubted, again,that Hannibal was as pristine and perfect as he seemed to have fooled the entire world into thinking. But he refrained from telling Will so. No matter how much he ached to say it.

“If he's here,then it's because he wants to be,Will. That's hardly your fault”

Will sighed, finally turning himself around on the bed, eyes so wide and pained that James felt an insane urge to wrap him in blankets and never let go. Shield the other agent from all the harm that the world beheld.

Shaking himself from the alien feeling,he waited for Will to speak again. Pleased when he didn't have to wait long.

'What does he want from me?” Will finally asked,thumbing at his IV. “What does he honestly want with me?”

Bond found that,for once,he didn't have an answer.

~~

“Guy walks around in a fancy suit,drives a fancy car, has a perfect fancy house and nobody thinks to wonder about just how strange that is?” he asked himself. Crossing the threshold and walking into the doctors homestead. Fingers running casually against both of the walls as he shut the door behind himself. 

It was too perfect. The wallpaper,the paint. The portraits, the gleaming stainless steel based kitchen. The dark blue dining room. Rust coloured livingroom. All of it was just too perfect. Like some sick,grown up doll house for adults. Passing the dining room, he pushed open the dark oak coloured door, finding himself in an office. French window to the left, large painting of van Gogh' s starry night on the opposite wall,hanging over a fireplace. Big, sturdy desk pushed against the furthest of the walls. Mahogany. Dark and rich. Just like it's owner.

The furnishings did nothing to catch Silva's attention. The only thing that appeared out of place was the latest model iPad,sitting awkwardly in the centre of the desk. Unfitting amongst it's older neighbours. Intrigued, Silva moved towards the desk, bracing his hands over the red leather chair and grabbing for the device,flipping the plastic cover from it's front and poking at it. Until he cracked the code and watched the apps come up.

'News. Journals. Appointments. Boring, boring,boring..” he muttered, pushing through the apps,scrolling through the appointments,the old emails. Anything that might have looked incriminating. Disappointed to discover that the most Dr Lecter used his high class computer based device for was completely practical purposes. 

“He doesn't even have a single porn site on here. Tragic.' Silva lamented, closing the cover and shutting the iPad down. Putting it back exactly where he found it. Leaving the study and heading upstairs. Amused and slightly dismayed when they didn't even creak a little bit. Was nothing in this house even remotely off kilter?

Pushing open the door of the master bedroom, seeing the un made four poster bed, black curtains semi-drawn around the frame. Dark blue and grey duvet and pillows scattered, Silva let out a sigh of what was almost relief, flopping down on the high mattress,sprawling out with a slight groan. 

'Finally. Something messy!' Darting his eyes too and fro, he finally settled on something he wasn't at all surprised to find. A tiny black node staring back at him from the top of the door. Planted with the kind of skill only a master would have. Smirking to himself, he forced his body to detach from the elegant,rumpled bed, crossing over to the door, grabbing the camera in hand and palming it.

'Come to papa my beautiful one' he coo'd too it. The FBI would never be able to trace it's path. Follow the feed it gave or how it was connected. Or where. Well. Maybe they could,but it would take them ages. By the time they got their slow,inadequate hands on it,Le Chiffre would be blowing up something far more noticeable than a non de script home buried in the woods of Wolf Trap,Virginia. 

“Let's see what you've got”

~~

Will didn't want to be woken up. Sore body protested the new movements. Denied the hand that was shaking him. Not recognizing it even in his light sleep. Yet, it seemed that the one disturbing him wouldn't accept his defiance. Flat,wide hand covering his mouth, forcing him to the present. Will bucked, trying to throw the hand off. Only to hear a voice shushing him.

Opening his eyes, he peered into the face of the man that had been in the passenger seat of Bonds car just hours ago. Will frowned, looking down pointedly at the hand the man had over his mouth. Silva frowned at him,shaking his head. Making no move to remove it. 

“Can't have you waking the others now,can we?” Silva retorted, removing his hand only when Will nodded slowly. Promising to stay quiet.

'I was originally going to give this information to the FBI but well, I figured that it would just take them too long,you know?” Peering at Will, pleased to see that he had the Agent's full attention.

“I found out where Le Chiffre is. You can either call that brute Crawford, and delay this even further. Or you can go now. Give him what he wants and save countless lives. Terrorists don't get smaller, Agent Graham, they get bigger and bigger and bigger. Like a child blowing up a balloon,testing the plastic until-pop-!” He bugged his eyes out,mouth going wide. 'You don't want to test that balloon much more, do you?”

Will knew he shouldn't trust Silva. Knew that he needed to call Jack right away. But if he could get there first, then why shouldn't he try? He thought of Hannibal-the only one of the three of them who ha'd yet to wait. How much more danger he would be in with an angry Le Chiffre on the loose. Angry because Will wasn't behaving. Wasn't listening. Wasn't doing what he wanted.

Le Chiffre was only going to keep hurting people. Was only going to get worse.

Unless Will stopped him.

'Where are my clothes?”

Silva grinned, sitting back further on the bed. 

'I believe they are under the bed”

Will rolled himself out, ripping his IV free and unhooking himself from the heart monitor, finding the small plastic bag under the bed that contained his clothes. Dressing faster than he knew was even possible. Task complete, he stared expectantly at Silva.

Silva complied,handing Will the keys to his own car and a piece of paper with 'Prince Albert Hotel, Room 403, Bayridge Pennsylvania' written across it. Will pocketed the paper, casting a glance towards Hannibal. Pushing past Silva, made his way to Hannibal's bed,grabbing his hand, squeezing it as tight as he could. As if though he was forcing Hannibal to note the pressure even in sleep.

“I will end this, I promise' Will kissed him. Quick, fast. Before pulling away. Not even looking at Silva as he left.

Silva watched the door closing behind Will,and sighed.

~~

Driving to Pennsylvania was a complete blur for Will. He noticed nothing, brain single handedly focused on Le Chiffre. The pain he'd caused him and the pain he'd continue to cause if he continued to do this. 

There was a gun in the glove box of Silva's car. Will grabbed for it as he parked,sliding it into the back of his dirty khaki's. Walking through glass doors, past the front desk and into the elevator. It shouldn't be possible. One man should not be able to accomplish so much destruction through a single hotel room. Yet. He had. 

Elevator dinged, Will climbing off still without really registering anything going on. Mind foggy even as he knocked on the door. It wasn't until the door opened and a broad chest, covered by a solid black dress shirt blocked his view of things. Leading up into a smirking,pleased face that was a twisted image of Hannibal's own, that Will woke up. 

'Special Agent Graham. It is about time” Le Chiffre greeted, pleasure radiating through his voice. Will opened his mouth to retort,but was completely cut off by the feeling of something solid connecting with the top of his skull,sending him crashing to his knees. Falling gracelessly to the side.

Le Chiffre sighed, bending and grasping the Agent in his arms, cradling him in some mockery of kindness.

'I do hate it when people are late'


	8. Distant Resistance

Will always hated this part of waking up. The distant,foggy feeling that came with being drawn out of sleep. Mind and body wrapped in wax paper. Vestiges of dreams clinging to the corners of his mind, threatening to drag him back into the dark resonating horror that they so often inhabited. Taking the time to rub clarity back to himself, get his bearings. Find out how to get himself back online and work again.

Of course. He wasn't afforded that luxury this time around. A violent throbbing in the side of his head forced his teeth to clench. Spots dancing in the backs of his eyes, attempting to fend of the harsh wave of nausea that accompanied it. When his eyes finally opened, the light coating of slick moving across his vision and clearing, he was greeted with a reality that was decidedly more unfavourable than any of his dreams combined. Taking a moment to glance down at his body, bruised and torn still from the blast, laid out on display like some glorious art work. If you could call his cliche spread eagle position on the large king sized bed something as hilarious as 'artwork”.

Fruitlessly,he attempted not to feel intimated by his nudity or the rather thick iron chains holding his legs and arms prone. With enough twisting and cutting,he could probably worm his way free, yet that didn't seem to be the smartest of options. The room was dark,and he didn't know what sort of things awaited him on the other side of the room. For all he knew,they could be more dangerous than his current position. Least the bed was soft he thought, wryly.

“Ah' Will heard the clinking of ice in a glass close to his right ear. 'You are awake. Excellent. We can get started then” Le Chiffre moved beside him. Will could hear the rustling of clothing as he did so. Black as the room itself. Graham tried to ignore how similar the sharp tone of Le Chiffre's voice was to Hannibal's. 

Didn't want to think about Hannibal now. Would he be worried? Upset? Angry? A complex cocktail of all of those emotions combined? Will let his eyes closed,silently hoping that Hannibal would be alright. That he wouldn't think too hard about what Will might be going through. Hearing Le Chiffre moving closer to the bed, he vowed to push thoughts of Hannibal to the back of his mind. Where it might be safe for him. Protecting him in a little box that could not be extracted by whatever Le Chiffre was going to use on him.

'Don't you think this is a little...old fashioned?” Will asked, deliberately avoiding the sight of something sharp and metallic gleaming in Le Chiffre's right hand. The broader man bent, bringing his face over Will's and inhaling slowly. Will stared right back at him, focusing on the space between his eyes and fantasizing actively about how nice a giant, bleeding red hole would look there. Le Chiffre smirked, all teeth, running his tongue across the top row before tilting his head at Will. 

'Old fashioned,hmm? Why do you say that?”

Will blinked at him. 

'You know. Strapped to a bed, awaiting penetration by some terrible implement. Seems a bit..cliche. Overdone”

Le Chiffre looked faintly amused, twirling the icepick in his hand and glancing down at Will's body, laying the point against Will's flaccid cock,twisting it a half centimetre,delighting in the way Will jerked,soundlessly. 

'Just because something is overdone, it doesn't stop it from being effective. Agent Graham”

Will huffed under him, staring down at his body contemplatively before swirling his eyes back upwards, searching Le Chiffre's face as though looking for an opening. Unable to see one , he sighed, deciding to accept his current situation for what it was. There wasn't much else that he could do right now, except play the game that was set. Trapped, there were only so many moves he could make. All of them playing into Le Chiffre's hand.

'What do you want?” he asked, subtly angling his hips a little further away from the icepick, which was laying flat now against the cut it had made to his cock Smearing the blood like some sort of sick treat. Le Chiffre paused, glancing down at it himself before deciding to answer.

“You are a gifted man. Talented. Useful. Resourceful. Not to mention..breakable.' Will chuckled dryly, earning another sharp,deliberate cut for his amused.

“Much as I hate to disappoint,you can't break what's already been broken' Will reminded him, unable to help himself from yelping when the icepick twisted, moving downwards. He could feel the blood pouring from himself even before he felt the sting. Tears welled and he swallowed them,glaring upwards at his amused looking captor.

Le Chiffre moved the ice pick,only to grab behind himself for a candle, holding the metal of it against the open flame. Will swallowed despite himself. Attempting to shrink away as far as his rough,crude bindings would allow. Any attempt to squirm halted by the bigger man straddling him. Apparently mindless to the blood that would decorate his slacks. Was that why he wore so much black? Too hide the marks of sanguine life staining it? Le Chiffre paused, running a wide,tanned hand through Will's curls and fisting them,pulling tightly against the strands. Will hissed, glaring up at him.

'You have the face of a broken china doll, Agent Graham' Le Chiffre noted,taking in the pale face,wide eyes and full lips that stared hatefully up at him. 'Maybe that's why he likes you so much. It'd be so easy to make these eyes water. Watch them fill' His thumb caressed the line of Will's bottom lip. 'It trembles so beautifully when he fucks you frail body into the mattress. You sound like death when you scream. It's....' he paused, seeming to give it some thought. 'Empowering”

“How the hell do you even-” Will frowned, before clarity came back to him. The nausea rolled up in full force,and he had to actively swallow to keep it down. Le Chiffre felt the movement of the action beneath him, chuckling humourlessly as Will digested the information, the conclusion he'd come to all on his own. 

'How long?” he asked, trying to avoid casting glances to the now glowing ice pick. Le Chiffre smirked.

'Long enough. Long enough to see just how utterly trapped you are. You don't have any idea what your dealing with. You think you know him, think that you have all the answers. That you can understand him' he snorted. 'So blind. So very,very blind. Clever Agent Graham. Master of the mind and horrors. Able to reconstruct, have all the answers, without even trying, is unable to see the biggest lie staring him in the face. Pathetic”

Will just stared. Unable to think of any way to answer that. What could Le Chiffre possible be talking about? He figured Hannibal had been lying to him about how close he and Le Chiffre really were,but he couldn't bring himself too ask Hannibal about it. Wanting to afford him that privacy. Mind racing, he saw Le Chiffre sigh, grabbing the burning ice pick in hand,pushing the white-hot point to Will's chest. Will screamed as he tugged it down before he could stop himself, hearing the burning of his flesh in his ears,smelling the stench of it. Tears falling. He couldn't catch them.

“You see, Agent Graham. You might be broken? But that doesn't mean you don't still feel pain'

~~

Maybe America wasn't so bad. It was a bit more callous than England, but for the moment it was quite quiet. Peaceful, even. The sort of false, man-made meditation that was common in all the hospitals. Least that didn't change all around the world. The garden, though nothing elaborate, was nice in it's own right. Yet there was nothing that could be accomplished by staring at flowers. Fingers itching, he finally pushed the number four on his phone,bringing the device to his ear and waiting.

She answered on the second ring. He could hear harsh, throbbing club music in the distance. But her voice was clear,clipped as always. 

'Go ahead”

“He blew up Graham's house. I don't have the time or luxury of a long conversation. But we need to get a move on. Start putting pressure on your informants. Use whatever methods you have on hand”

Severine inhaled through her teeth,expelling it slowly. He could almost smell her smoke through the plastic. 

'I'll get right on it' Hanging up before James could offer anything more to say. Sighing, he set the phone down on his lap. Fingers clenching against the armrest of the wheelchair,watching the sunrise over the top of the hospital, bathing him in the faintest tinges of warmth. Thinking of Will and Hannibal. How Will had gone back to sleep. Not even waking when James had discovered a wheelchair in the corner of the room and pushed himself out. Desperately needing some air. Anything to escape the stifling hospital room,reminding him of what he never had. Hadn't had in a long time. Annoyed by his own wishful thinking.

He knew the way Will looked at Hannibal. The warmth and caring you could only offer to another person who knew you completely and didn't shy from it. While he didn't trust Hannibal, the affection the two had for one another seemed completely genuine. The Special Agent was obviously infatuated, his pain obvious when he took in Dr Lecter's unconscious form. Acutely aware of how he'd shield his younger, more wiry lover from the most dangerous effects of the blast with himself. The expression he'd given him sparked deep even in James jaded soul. He knew that level of understanding. How all encompassing it could be, and the dull ache it left behind once it was gone.

Vesper's memory hadn't invaded his thoughts in a long time. Still tasting like ash in his mouth. Foul. He fought to forget it the second it appeared. Didn't need to be reminded that, for him, any vestige of happiness with another person was little more than a cruel joke, laughing at him whenever it even so much as crossed his mind. Should he find anything even remotely like Vesper again, it would have to be with someone who was operating on his level. A plane of instablitiy and chaos. Like a turning tide, a boat crashing against dissonant waves.  
“You're thinking again, Mr Bond. Haven't I told you that's far to strenuous for a man with your limited brain capacity?' Silva's voice broke through his thoughts. Light and airy as ever,yet with a deep tone that made certain it was always heard in spite of the aloofness. James snorted a little, staring down at the lines of tulips decorating the garden he was fascing. 

'What else is there to do, locked behind stone walls and attached to plastic tubes?” he asked, turning his head to take in Silva's face more fully. Unpredictable as ever, he wasn't terribly eager to spark another tantrum in the ex-agent. “Most I could do is offer to help trace Le Chiffre's bomb or at least, figure out how to track that call he made to Agent Graham. Both of which,I've already done.' Silva made a strange humming like noise in the back of his throat, fingers splaying against the back of Bond's neck, smirking when he felt the ripple of his flesh under his hand, and the small groan from James that accompanied it.

“Oh..many things. Many things indeed. Mhmm” James blinked, eyes rolling upwards so that he could watch Silva better, trying to figure out what he was talking about.

'I highly doubt anything that you're thinking of could be considered 'useful' and 'productive'. Silva snorted, laying his chin atop Bond's head,sighing heavily. Perhaps with a touch more drama than was strictly needed.

'Does it have to be productive?” he asked. 'Nothing can be done at the moment to find Le Chiffre. The FBI is working right now,but it's mostly just a waiting game now, you know that.'

Bond sighed. He did know that. Cracking codes and tracing cellphones took time. And wit Agent Graham and Dr Lecter still sleeping,there wasn't anything that could be done on their ends. James wasn't entirely aware that he was being moved until he noticed the chair wasn't facing the garden anymore,but instead,was heading back to the hospital. Silva, apparently,had made a decision about something. Refusing wouldn't be accepted. Not at this point.

'Where are you taking me?' he asked, mostly just for the sake of saying it.

'You need to relax' Silva chirped back, pushing the button of the front doors, rolling James inside and heading down the hallway,poking his head in various doors until he found something that appeared to suit his needs. Making a pleased sound, he pushed James ahead,letting the wheelchair roll itself into the empty room, grabbing a little sign that said 'Nurse Care in Progress-Do Not Enter” hooking that on the front of the door and closing it behind them. Locking it with a definitive clip. Bond swirled the chair around, eyeing Silva up and down with narrowed eyes.

'Relax. I was relaxing just fine outside in the garden.' he retorted,though there was no heat too it. Silva sighed, walking over to James and kneeling in front of him.

'Look at you. So exhausted. You can't hide behind your drink and your drugs. Not with me. I know better. Something's can't be buried in whiskey and codeine. No matter how hard you try. Why can't you just give in? Just let go. You're impulsive about everything else, are you so afraid of being hurt,again?” he asked,bracing his hands on James blanket covered knees, aware of the way the agent tensed lightly under him.

Because he was right. Silva, was right. He could either keep fighting his own baser desires, battling with himself as much as he was with everyone else, or he could give in. Let one fight end. Cease. Halt itself. Without all the bloodshead that usually accompanied it.

'I don't trust you'

'I'm not asking you too. I'm asking you too give yourself a break”

James caved, crumbling like the Berlin Wall in 89. Falling forward, he was on his knees on the cold, possibly sterilized ground, arms lacing about the back of Silva's shoulders,tugging him forward into his own body and melding his mouth to the others,breathing life into it with desperate,harsh little pants that bordered on being too fast. Slightly sloppy,but Silva didn't mind. There was something almost sweet in the desperate,needy way he clung. The loose fitting hospital clothes did little to hide the trembling of his body. Freeing his mouth, Silva wound his arms about James, rubbing small circles into his flesh through the light linen.

“There there. Nothing to worry about, that's it' James groaned, grabbing onto the lapels of Silva's overly white suit jacket, yanking the other man forcefully to his knees and feet, shoving him roughly into the hospital bed, pleased with the way it bounced on it's frame when Silva crashed into it. Climbing atop of him,pushing the jacket down his arms and off his body,casting it aside while Silva chuckled darkly, unhooking the buttons of his brightly patterned brown and aqua coloured dress shirt. Moving to slow for James liking, he batted Silva's hand away, yanking the shirt apart with a single hand.

'Stop talking. Always talking,chattering when you could be doing other things' Silva laughed, crawling backwards on the bed so that he could get better seated, letting his thighs fall open under James searching wandering hands. Groaning at the light pressure, cool air on his chest, a contrast to the way he felt himself growing underneath the palm of Bond's hand that worked it's way past the metal of his fly, gripping him tightly through his briefs.

“My mouth's too far away to be doing other things, Bond' he reminded him lightly. James rolled his eyes, sliding down the bed to work Silva's pants off of his legs, unable to stop his eyes from widening at the harsh lines of scars, the pull of knotted flesh where his abused body had healed crudely. Denied proper medical care, the skin had never knitted back together properly. 

'Ah..there is, that” Silva sighed,letting his hands find their way to James hair, playing with the strands of it as he worked the agent's thin linen shirt from his body, yanking it over his head. “Not very nice. I know, just keep moving, you won't see them if you-” he paused, stunned momentarily by the sight of James bending his head down, flicking his tongue over a deep, knotted piece of his thigh,tracing the line of the scar with long strokes caused by the flat of his tongue.Silva stared, tightening his grip on James hair as he did so. Desire coiling in the depths of his stomach. Head falling back against the pillows as James found another scar,and another, as if he was trying to commit the markings to memory with his teeth and mouth.

The longer it went on, the more Silva squirmed, unused to such intimate attention on the most unflattering parts of his body. Not sure how much longer he could take the tingling touches, he gave Bond's hair a sharp, almost painful tug,warning him with the spikes of pain that shot not unpleasantly down James spine. Message conveyed, Bond looked up,licking across his own lips with a curious,yet smug expression.

'Better put your mouth somewhere else. Unless you want this to end now' Silva warned, pushing his pelvis upwards,thrusting mindlessly at the air, seeking invisible contact. James laughed quietly, sliding himself a little further up the bed, letting his hand wrap around the pulsing flesh and squeezing Silva so gently,it was almost loving. Silva grunted, feeling the rough noise turn into a gasp when Bond's tongue went lower, gently opening him up with the softest of licks that turned more deliberate when he coaxed the flesh to let him in. Silva's felt his own head falling back against the pillows, pushing himself down on James with slight rolls of his hips that turned quicker the faster he felt James licking, nudging at his sides with his ankle. Silently begging him to let him go or give him more.

He wasn't even sure what. 

But Bond appeared to be, for he moved himself out with a little groan, kicking the ridiculously thin hospital pants from his body, grabbing Silva's hips and rolling him over,bracing the older man over himself. Staring down at James heaving chest, body gleaming with sweat, the faintest traces of pre-ejaculate coating his own hard flesh. Silva realized he'd been wrong. He really wasn't the only desperate one here. 

Couldn't prolong it anymore. Sliding his hands to James shoulders, he held on to the man below him with as steady of a grip as he could manage, sliding himself down with ease. The movement causing Bond to bow under him, tiny little pants falling from his own mouth as he finally seated himself completely, thighs bracketing either side of James body, letting his hands roam the flat,heaving planes of his chest while he let his own body adjust to the slightly alien feeling. Unable to remember how long it had been since another person had owned him from the inside out.

Bond didn't seem interested in letting him wait too long though. Teeth clenched, his fingers dug into Silva's sides, leaving half moon shapes in his thighs. Scars that were far prettier than the ones decorating Silva's body. Silva bent his head down, snagging the top of James lip between his teeth, biting down softly into the flesh when he felt Bond's hand against his rear, lifting him without his permission.

'Come on, Tiago, move already. You have to move' James half begged him breathlessly, rolling his hips deliberately and staring into Silva's shocked expression, huffing fondly and tracing a finger down Silva's neck as he did so, gasping slightly when he lifted himself almost completely off,and then sank back down, repeating the motion a couple of times before he lurched himself slightly forward,grabbing James hands in each of his own,lacing their fingers together and increasing the speed of his hips, biting his lip bloody to keep silent as he rose and fell,rose and fell. 

Words and coherent thought had died completely when James used his real name. Feeling something that might have been true,deep affection coursing through his bloodstream as he clung to the grunting man beneath him, the jerking bouncing of his hips and legs becoming faster, more hasty and strained. James bucked beneath him,meeting him in the middle with his own body,nailing the perfect spot every time he did so. Silva's hair undone,light blonde strands blocking his vision as he did so, a single tug from James hand on a particularly hard,deliberate thrust had him bucking forward, shuddering his way through the warmth of completion, panting as whiteness clouded his vision, clenching his teeth violently when he felt heat filling him wonderfully, Bonds groan loud in his own ears. A perfect echo that made Silva grin, even as he collapsed bonelessly forward, trying to catch his breath, relishing the feeling of being full. Literally,and metaphorically. 

James sighed heavily, letting his hand find it's way to Silva's hair,pushing back the fallen strands, feeling complete in a way he didn't know he could,anymore.  
~~

_“That's it Livy” he coaxed the younger. 'Just keep waiting. He'll have to come out eventually' Livy bristled a little beside him, eager to get a move on. Hightened tension coiled in his veins.Only Hannibal's hand on his lower back kept him from sprinting at the doorway. “Why can't we just go on and get him now, Hannibal?” he whispered, the rope hot and abrasive in his hands. Digging into his own flesh._

_“Were we to do that, other's would see us. We can't have that happening,now can we?” he reminded him gently, pushing his fingers into the flesh of Livy's back. “Just a few more minutes,the work day has just ended,after all.” Livy sighed but complied, eyeing the black bandana in Hannibal's hands and turning back towards the office building, nudging his brother when the door opened._

_'There. He's there”_

_'Yes. I see him. Wait till he passes the bushes'_

_Livy sucked in a breath,holding it steady while the man got closer,closer. Completely unaware of the trap he was about to be ensnared into. Hannibal moved his body into a half crouch, nodding for Livy to do the same as he. The second they saw the man's back,Livy sprang, wrapping the rope about his neck like a noose and tugging violently. Hannibal climbed onto his chest, pulling the black fabric over his eyes while he gasped beneath Livy's hold on him._

_'Help me stand him' Hannibal muttered. Livy did, yanking on the ends of the rope to bring him forward, twisting the two ends of it in opposite directions of one another; delighting in the choked off gasp that rewarded him with. Hannibal's eyes raised a little as they dragged the man to the dark blue SUV._

_Pushing him inside, Livy moved himself forward, searching his pockets for the knife. The desire to hear the shrieks of agony overwhelming his senses. Eyes darkening as gooseflesh formed on his arms. Licking across his lips. Hannibal smiled fondly,wrapping an arm about Livy's waist, nuzzling the lines of his neck, tonguing at his collarbone. Livy groaned, leaning into the touch with an exasperated,but loving sigh._

_'Not yet. Livy. Not here. People will hear”_

_Livy stared down at the strangled, blinded body before tipping his head back, better to let Hannibal explore his collarbone._

_“I want him first' Hannibal chuckled._

_'Alright”_

 

Opening his eyes, Hannibal felt the salty line of tears sliding down the arches of his cheeks. Frowning at them as he carefully licked them away. Carefully, he sat himself up,blinking curiously at his surroundings. 

He hadn't been in a hospital in years. Stuck in the middle of three beds, only light in the room coming from a semi-open yellowed curtain on the far wall. His body ached uncomfortably and he could feel his skin being pulled by the thick cords of thread. Bandages heavy on his flesh. Useless. Incapacitated. Too curious to remain lying prone in the middle of the bed, Hannibal pushed aside the covers, frowning in distaste at his plain hospital clothes. Feet cold against the dirty floor.

It was too quiet. The room felt colder than it should. Turning left, he approached the bed that was closest to the window. The chart said that it belonged to 'James Bond' but there was no James in the bed. Hannibal inhaled, taking in the faintness of Bond's lingering scent. He hadn't be gone long. Was probably off getting tests or something mundane of the sort.

When he turned and saw that the bed closest to the door was also empty, Hannibal felt the hairs on the back of his neck rising. Crossing the room faster then he should, ignoring the sharp spikes of protesting pain that sparked through his leg as he grabbed the chart, growling in the back of his throat when he saw that the chart read “William Graham'. Lecter darted his hand forward,grabbing Will's pillow,burying his nose in it, disappointed by how faint the scent was. Will had been gone longer than Bond. How long had he been asleep for? How much had gone on around him while he was dead to the world?

Hand shaking with the lack of control he suddenly had, he looked around for his cellphone,spotting the crude plastic bag under the bed,tearing it open and pushing the first button on it's screen.

Connecting on the second ring, Hannibal waited for the voice he knew wouldn't be Will's,feeling rage boil beneath his rib cage regardless.

'I have your pet,Hannibal. Better find him quickly,if you want him still breathing. Of course,knowing you, that's not exactly a requirement,is it?' Le Chiffre cut the connection before Hannibal had a chance to answer, leaving the Dr to his own stunned, angry silence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *In the original work _Casino Royale,_ by Ian Fleming (1953) Le Chiffre's real name is actually Jean Duran. I've changed it to Livy Lecter here because,seriously _Jean Duran_?
> 
> *I understand that, no. It's highly unlikely James would be in the mood for sex, so soon after all that but hey it's James Bond. I also just desperately needed a lighter interlude after the torture.
> 
> *The real name of Raoul Silva is Tiago Rodriguze. Just in case anyone reading this hasn't seen _Skyfall_
> 
> Once again,thank you all for reading and staying with me! I am enjoying telling this tale and going on this adventure with you all.


	9. Fragments

Sweat clouded his vision, hair plastered in thick,messy black strands that pushed deliberately against his brow. Chest tight and heaving with the effort of keeping himself going, the corner of his left eye needing to be wiped free of the blood it collected more often than it had been before. Pausing,he wiped a sticky arm across his forehead, pointlessly trying to clear it from sweat. A useless pursuit,really.

Graham had stopped screaming about an hour ago. Whether it was from exhausted vocal chords or a lack of caring anymore, he wasn't sure. The Agent had proved himself to be a little less snarky and sarcastic than Bond had been,though he sure as hell didn't give up any easier. His body sagged, loose now in it's bonds, ankles and wrists rubbed raw by the chains. Burnt skin decorated his torso and arms, blood congealed thickly on his flaccid cock and groin area. Legs bruised from the Le Chiffre's belt,which was hanging on the end frame of the bed, slightly worn down.

Will wasn't asleep though. On the contrary,he appeared to be more awake than before. Eyes bloodshot but clear,mouth curved in a thin line that threatened to break into a snarl at a moments notice. Meeting Le Chiffre's dark gaze with his own challenging one. The heat, the fire he saw in that look was enough to pique his curiosity. For all of Graham's nervous tics, his twitchy, squirrel like behaviour,there was an interior that was fierce,viscous and determined. A violent nature that he was eager to draw out and exploit.

Perhaps he had been wrong in his initial assessment. Maybe what drew Hannibal to this virtual puppy dog of a man was the fangs he had inside. A drive to attack that was suppressed beneath layers of anxiety and nervousness. It would be completely within Hannibal's personality and overall character to be attracted to someone who was so hard to read. Especially since he knew just how lonely and despondent Hannibal really was.

For as long as he'd been aware of the others existence, he had noticed just how completely alone Hannibal was. Oh, he socialized just fine with classmates. Impressed teachers, charmed adults with his politeness and love of high society far beyond his years. But, when the curtains closed and the guests shown out for the night, Hannibal seemed to predominantly return to an empty dorm. Any friends he had appeared not to exist after hours. A void that couldn't be filled by wine and music.

Until that night when he'd felt curiosity get the better of him and he'd followed Hannibal out of the school, watching him murder that woman with sloppy precision and delicate,if hasty accuracy. Harvesting her kidney; only to consume it later while Livy watched with stunned fascination. Intrigued, he'd asked his elder sibling why he deigned to do such a thing, only to have Hannibal contemplate his fork, bits of the girl's kidney hanging precariously from the prong, dripping in cranberry sauce,before replying;

_“Have you ever looked at a sunset, Livy? I don't mean a casual glance, I mean looked at it intently, Studied it, how it lights up the entire world, and, for a few moments, everything around you is peaceful,beautiful and serene. Such gorgeousness that we can't even comprehend. Have you ever done that?”_

_Livy shook his head no, curling his hand under his chin and watching Hannibal smirk, studying his fork again before he turned the object around,hooking a long,delicate index finger under Livy's chin. Silently,he commanded the younger to open. Without a trace of hesitation,Livy did, letting Hannibal push the meat into his mouth, withdrawing the fork; but not releasing his chin, feeling the motions of Livy's teeth working to consume the food. When he swallowed,Hannibal wiped a thumb across Livy's lips,breathing turning heavy when he felt Livy draw the digit into his mouth,working his tongue against the flesh before letting it fall with a little smirk._

_Hannibal smirked back,tipping Livy's head up once more. “You should try it sometime. When you see the world in such beauty,you can't help but want to eradicate those who dare to mar it' Leaning back in his chair,working to spear another delicate peace of kidney. Livy watched the motion with illuminated eyes. Reaching out, he picked up a glass of the red wine Hannibal had brought to the table, lifting it to his lips, studying his sibling over the rim of the glass._

_“Why eat them then?”_

_“Burial is honouring, cremation even more so. Do we not consume pigs? These people are hardly any different; after all'_

_Livy couldn't think of a decent counter argument to that._

Yet, he'd known even then,despite their closeness, that he wasn't what Hannibal needed. He could try,but he was already too much like his sibling to be even close to a decent companion for the elder. When he left Paris for America, intent on a medical career,they'd parted ways, neither knowing how long it would be before they met again. At the time, Le Chiffre couldn't bring himself to care, unable to vanquish the hurt that accompanied Hannibal's depature. The physical sting left on his eye and the mental one in his heart. He didn't believe he'd deserved such rage, but the fight they'd had was quite brutal indeed. Now,looking down at Special Agent William Graham,who was everything he wasn't, he saw what Hannibal wanted. Saw what could warm his brother's bed and heart.

How it angered him. How it enraged and annoyed him so. Will didn't deserve Hannibal,and Hannibal hardly deserved Will. The desire to mark Hannibal,hurt him the way he'd hurt him was overwhelming,all consuming and infuriating. Hearing Will's screams barely quelled the fire inside. No matter how many marks he left on the Agent. Yet, Will had proved to be more than just a weakling, clinging to Hannibal's apron ties and feeding off the dead and the destitute.

Oh no,he was so much more. Once Le Chiffre saw the underlying spark and danger in that gaze, he was determined to claw it out. See how deep it ran. See how like himself and Hannibal William Graham really was. Lost in his thoughts, trying to decided exactly what they were going to do next; he heard Will chuckle from below him, giving him an exhausted, even exasperated little sigh. Le Chiffre's eyes narrowed.

'Something funny,Graham?” he asked, pushing his finger into the burnt hole over Will's rib cage for good measure, pleased when Will hissed.

“Oh you know,just laying here,watching you think. Imagining what's going on inside you're head right now. I can read it. I see your face,I see you. I can guess what you're thinking,and it's just” Will's head dipped down,into the dried blood on his chest,and he laughed again. “It's just so childish. Pathetic. All that's driving you is revenge and curiosity. It's worse than the climax of a novel. So predictable it hurts”

Le Chiffre's eyes slanted and he reached down,wrapping his hand around Will's flaccid,bloody and torn cock,twisting it hard in his fist. Will growled and bucked weakly beneath him,but he didn't scream. Didn't seem able to muster up the lung capacity to do so. Annoyed, Le Chiffre lowered his head, pushing his nose against Graham's and staring down at him.

“What makes you so sure,hmm? You're no mind reader,for all you know your petty little guessing games could be wrong now” Will laughed, licking his teeth with his dried out tongue.

“If I was wrong you wouldn't have gotten so angry' Will gasped, groaning unhappily when Le Chiffre twisted his hand in the opposite direction. “Because I know Hannibal lied about how well he knew you. There was probably some sort of desperate falling out and you're still not over it” Another twist, this one downwards,and Will twitched,body jerking in it's bindings. “All you're doing is throwing a tantrum,and I'm you're pin cushion”

Will was half right. But he was right enough. Le Chiffre suddenly crawled off of Will, walking over to the counter and grabbing the bottle of whiskey,upending it on Will's cut, broken body, delighting in the shriek the sting of it ripped from Will's tired lungs.

Throwing the now empty bottle against the Wall,Will closed his eyes to avoid being showered in glass,groaning when Le Chiffre climbed back atop of him,grabbing fistfulls of his hair and prying his mouth open with something Will couldn't readily identify.

“I think you've done enough talking,William'

~~

It had been two hours since James call and she hadn't been able to get a single lead. Severine climbed out of the taxi,paying the driver and smoothing out the long lines of her dark purple dress with a black gloved hand, unable to shake the nervousness that she felt at being here. But she needed answers,and she needed them now. 

She'd dealt with worse,after all. This man was nothing,really. Just an aging drug dealer that seemed to be in every seedy corner of New York. The kind of person one only dealt with when they had no other options. He wasn't nearly as horrible as Silva, but he was a close second, at least in her mind. 

King of the castle, Evan Charleston (though he was mostly known as Red Dragon) truly believed that as long as he had the guns, the money and the girls that no harm could come to him. Can't cross the moat when you don't have a boat.

Severine's delight at imagining him bleeding out on his golden table was enough to push her forward,bringing her fist to the door and knocking sharply four times. Waiting for one of his overly bulked up goons to open the door and let her thought. Ignoring the hands that traced over her hips and ass as she made her way through the hallway,deliberately scrapping her high heel against the gauche Turkish rug as she was guided to his upper rooms; where he conducted most of his business. One of the heavier guards pushed her through the door,she stabbed the top of his foot with her stiletto, slamming the door behind her before he could protest.

Red looked up from his papers, running a hand through his white hair and leering at her, shutting the book and beckoning her closer. Severine stayed exactly where she was,wanting to watch his every move from her spot near the door,able to take in the full scope of his actions.

“Too what do I owe a visit from such a lovely lady?” Red asked, clearly disappointed by her refusal to move. Severine pushed the long length of her hair back, giving herself something to do with her hands. 

“I'm following a trail that's run cold,and I'm afraid I'm out of options” she explained, watching him smirk at the table.

“Really now,what sort of trail are you following my dear?”

“His name is Le Chiffre. Last known location here in New York. I need to find him,sooner,rather than later”

Red frowned, though he feigned ignorance, Severine saw the very moment he closed off. He knew the name,and she wasn't in the mood to play.

“Guess were going to do this the hard way,aren't we?” She almost sighed.

'I'm afraid I don't have the slightest idea what you're talking about darling' Red replied cooly, finger poised over the button under his desk to call the guards.

He never made it. Within seconds Severine had leapt onto the desk,kneeling there as she pulled a lenght of chain from her garter belt, wrapping it around his neck and tying the other end around her wrist,pulling handcuffs from her purse and latching his hands behind his back, around his chair. Un-holstering her Beretta,she pushed the gun to his temple,hissing in his ear.

'I think you miss heard me. Le Chiffre hired someone to put a bomb in a house. I need to know who that was,and where he is now”

Red gasped,but he couldn't fight. He attempted to kick up with his legs, so she slid from the desk, pinning his feet with her stiletto's.

'Tell me who it was, I won't ask again”

Red bucked,but he couldn't break her hold, she yanked harder on the chain,drawing blood.

'Nobody! I don't even know the guys name” Red gasped. “All he said was to gouge the gas tank of this old farts car. He told me to find some man power. Handed me a couple thousand and left,that's all I know,I swear”

Severine groaned,counting to ten in her head. “Who did it?”

“Nobody! I did it myself! Since he paid me so much to do it,I figured it had to be worth it. All I saw was a fucking Bentley,wasn't even worth sticking around for!'

“He never told you to plant a bomb?” Red shook his head, gasping louder when the chain was tightened ever further,barely able to speak. 

'He never said anything about no bomb, just told me to take out this fucking gas tank! So I did! That's all I know chick,seriously”

She searched his eyes for a moment, hunting for any sign of a lie. Unable to find one, she sneered at him.

'You're just as useless as the other one was” pulling the trigger before he could say anything else. Pushing herself off of the body, she crouched behind the desk,ready for the two guards that burst through the door,ducking down behind his chair when they made to shoot her, springing up and shooting the first one,rolling to the side and nailing the second. Sighing as he dropped dead over the body of the other.

Pushing her way from the office,she grabbed her phone,calling James once more.

'James. I've neutralized the one who gouged Hannibal's gas tank. Body counts higher than I expected it was going to be. I'll take care of it. Someone else bombed the house though. At this point,I'm thinking Le Chiffre planted that bomb himself. I'm sorry'

~~

Silva was in the process of wheeling James back into the shared hospital room when Severine's call came through. Searching in the pockets of his clothes and through the blanket,he frowned,only for Silva to tap his shoulder,handing him the device. James grabbed it with a nod, mouth thining out when he listened to Severine speak, thanking her quietly before hanging up.

“Severine found the one who gouged Hannibal Lecter's gas tank,but not the bomber. She thinks Le Chiffre did that himself. At least that's one less person in the way now” Silva made a clicking noise with his tongue. “She work out alright for you then?” James glared over his shoulder. 'She does,and you'll leave her alone”

Silva pretended to be insulted. 'I would never'

'Sure. Just take me inside, I'm sick of this chair”

“With pleasure” Silva pushed the door open,both of them greeted by an uncharacteristically distressed looking Hannibal Lecter,who was in the process of yanking himsself into his dirty,torn suit coat. James pushed himself out of his chair,putting a steadying hand on the Dr's arm; only for Hannibal to slide out of his grasp.

“As much as I hate to sound like your mother, where the hell do you think you're going,Dr?” Hannibal shot him a side glare, trying to shove past James with as much decorum as possible,making his way to Will's bed. Bond finally noticed that it was empty, feeling himself frown even more.

'Where is Will?” he asked, looking directly at Silva, who had the decency to look somewhat guilty. “Silva..where the hell is Will Graham.' 

“He's with Le Chiffre” Hannibal answered tersely. 'How he got him hardly matters to me,I'm going to get him back. My brother is quite ruthless when he wants to be,I cannot tolerate him having Will. I fear what harm will come to him in his grasp”

James paled, head jerking up as he swept past Dr Lecter, jumping over Will's empty bed, slamming Silva as hard as he could into the wall, shaking his shoulders roughly.

'What have you done!” He shouted, taking a breath and lowering his voice. “What have you done. Only one person could have decoded Le Chiffre's trail before the FBI,and only one person could have told him where Le Chiffre is. Why,Silva,why did you do it?” James wasn't speaking in full sentences, pushing down the echo of betrayal as far as he could. 'Are you that incapable of being sincere? Of doing something that isn't completely destructive?”

Silva gasped a little, letting his head fall forward with a small,pained chuckle.

'You said you don't trust me' he pointed out, hearing Bond growl in his ear. 

“That doesn't mean you have to continually PROVE that” he snarled. “Where is he,where is Will?” Silva made to reply,but Bond felt himself shoved to the side,the unexpected move causing him to fall against the bed, only to see that Hannibal had broken the abandoned IV poll Will left behind and was holding the sharp end against Silva's throat,pinning him with a knee between the other mans legs, bringing his face directly against Silva's. 

James rose to his feet,but made no move to interfere. He was watching the way Hannibal's eyes danced as he pushed the metal against Silva, the steady hold he had on the taller male, the rage and fury turning his face into a cold mask that pushed aside all glimpses of humanity,leaving nothing but a snarling monster in it's wake.  
A devil if he ever saw one. Hannibal was radiating with controlled fury,pulsing with it. Even Silva was rendered silent, acutely aware of the fact that Hannibal would slice his throat in two without so much as a blink. James saw in that moment every doubt he'd had about the pristine Dr being answered,knowing the look for what it was. Unable to care at the moment that he was staring at a killer, a very well concealed killer, but a killer,non the less.

Silva saw it too,watching Hannibal's face curiously and perhaps a little nervously.

“Where. Is Will Graham' Hannibal asked,voice calmer than he looked, accent thick with rage. 'Where did you send him?”

“Prince Albert Hotel, Bayridge Pennsylvania. Room 403” Silva wheezed,struggling to get the words out without spearing himself on the broken IV poll. “I gave Will my car and the address about five hours ago,give or take” Hannibal studied him for a moment, before pointing towards the door and Bond.

'Agent Bond, I believe that your driving is the most effective. Take us there,now”

Silva glanced towards Bond,James merely folded his arms across his chest. 

“You heard him, or do you want him to kill you? I have a feeling Dr Lecter would have no problem doing so”

“Shouldn't we wait for the rest of the FBI?” choking when Hannibal pushed the IV poll a little more roughly,nicking Silva's neck with the metal.

“Since when do you care about following protocol?” James asked, watching as Hannibal released Silva with what might have been reluctance, growling in the back of his throat as Silva collapsed to his knees. 'You'll need a car now, James' he pointed out, coughing and wheezing. 'I can't go.” James rubbed his temple. Silva was right,one of them had to stay here for Agent Crawford and his team.

Hannibal looked over at James,apparently deciding to ignore Silva for now,in favour of getting to Pennsylvania as fast as they could. James looked down at Silva, before looking at Hannibal. “Get us a car, I'll follow you' Hannibal nodded shortly, side stepping Silva and leaving the hospital room. James bent on one knee, looking for something useful, Silva pointed at the bed frame.

James nodded,getting the idea,gripping Silva's shoulders. 'If you ever betray me again, I'll put a bullet in your skull before you can blink,understood?” 

Silva sighed, letting his head fall back. 'I understand. But for now,hurry.” James sucked in a breath, giving Silva a final quick glance before shoving his head into the bed frame,watching Silva go limp in his arms,laying the man down gently, he cupped the back of his head where he'd hit it. Finding that there was no lump yet, he pulled back one of his eyelids, checking his eye movements and putting a hand to his neck,contended that he was still breathing.

'Sorry about the head' he quipped, rolling over and grabbing his clothes from under the bed, ripping off the hospital garb and yanking himself into them,pulling his jacket on when Hannibal came back into the room,dangling a set of keys.

'I have acquired a car, make haste,Agent Bond' James nodded, following Lecter out of the hospital and into the car, which was nice and close to the door. 

'Who does this belong too?” Hannibal shrugged. 'Some nurse' he replied coolly,climbing into the passenger seat. James pushed aside the few thousand questions he wanted to ask the serial killer come doctor, instead gunning the ignition,all to aware of the seconds on Will's life clock ticking away.

~~  
For the first time in his life, Will wondered how much of a relief dying would be. How that complete and total escape from everything would feel. Too have his spirit permanently evacuate his body and leave him in peace. Letting him rest, giving him reprieve for good.

Le Chiffre had forgone his instruments by now, instead taking his time playing with the open wounds, his fingers insistent as his continued to poke and prod at the stung, bloodied,burnt flesh. It felt like the other was poking a white hot wire against his nerves,even though all he was using was his fingers. Until he seemed to find something that suited him better, grasping either side of the large gash in Will's chest and prying it open, exposing the muscle.

Screaming became impossible once more. Will wasn't even coherent, permanently drifting between waking and sleeping. His body unable to register pain anymore. Driven into shock to protect itself. He was just about to drift back into his hazy semi-dream land when the sound of a door being kicked inwards drove him back to alertness. Le Chiffre climbing off of his body and disappearing into the next room. Will tried to sit up, feeling nervousness and apprehension rock through his exhausted body, only to see Hannibal's shadow in the doorway. The Dr made to turn the light on,only to see that it'd been burnt out. Making out Will's form when his eyes adjusted to the darkness.

'Will!' Hannibal never raised his voice,and the slightly hysterical tone it carried now sounded alien spilling form his mouth. He rushed at the bed, taking in the scope of the damage and growling,muttering something about how wonderful Le Chiffre was going to look as a corpse and tugging on the chains, looking for the weakest one. Will shuddered, knowing that Hannibal shouldn't be here,shouldn't be doing this. It wasn't safe. Not here. Not with Le Chiffre.

The crash near the front door went unheard,and Will fought to drive words from his dry,torn throat,trying to shove Hannibal away so that he could get to safety. 'No..Han..Hannib..”

'Shh. It's alright Will,it's alright. I'll get you out of here' Will shook his head, trying to shout again when Le Chiffre's shadow came up behind Hannibal's hunched over frame. Will shouted as hard as he could,gasping.

'Hannibal! Look out!' Hannibal turned but Le Chiffre was faster, swinging the butt of his gun against Hannibal's skull, leaning back to avoid Hannibal's outstretched ankle from hooking against his own and dragging him down. Will groaned when he heard the slickness of blood, watching Hannibal crumple at the edge of the bed, rolling to the ground with a thud.

“I didn't say you could play with my toy,Hannibal” Le Chiffre spat. “Wait your turn'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew! Lots happening here folks, hope it's not all too much going on at once! As you might have guessed by now,I'm a nerd. There is often the occasional nerdy reference in my story somewhere. Thanks as always for riding this wave with me,I, am having a blast.


	10. Echoes

_It was a beautiful day. The kind that came so infrequently that when they did, he just had to sit against the bark of his favourite tree and observe the area around him. Taking in the vast estate that belonged to his Uncle Robertus. Gardens overlooked the entirety of the area, tall looming tree's securing the house. A pond with a watering fountain in the shape of a tall Botticelli angel pouring from a jug into it's deep, marble depths._

_When his father, never in good health, had finally passed on when Hannibal was eleven, he'd come here. Now he drank in the site of the chirping birds, the clawing insects, the occasional dragon fly. Flowers splaying colour against the bushes._

_But. There was another there. One of the servants. Hannibal recognized him as the boorish cleaner who often shoved the young Lecter out of his way. No regard for protocol, or even decency. Once, he'd taken no care what so ever to avoid spilling an entire dish of old,slightly crusty soup down the front of Hannibal's newly pressed suit. A curt; 'You should not be standing in the doorway, Sir Lecter' the only excuse or even apology he'd offered up._

_Such attitude! Such incredible lack of courtesy.Here now,he was cutting the flowers. Ripping them from their stems like he was a Mayan decapitating their enemies. Harsh, crude movements. Destroying the splendor and beauty they brought to the garden._

_Hannibal was moving before he thought about it, wrapping his arms tightly about the servant and pulling him away from the flowers. Though his voice hadn't broke, his words came out cold and steady,even in their childhood affected tone._

_'Why must you destroy such things?” he hissed,fighting to hold the kicking,bigger man steady. 'Why would you do something like that to something so beautiful? We are supposed to enjoy this world not tarnish it!”_

_The servant bucked again, trying to comprehend being held prone by a fourteen year old boy who hadn't even hit the best of puberty yet._

_'Let me go you little cretin! I have been told to remove them to make way for the new path!'_

_Hannibal didn't believe him._

_'You've been told no such thing! You are a terrible man! Full of lies and deceit!”_

_Beneath him,the servant gaffed, attempting to pull on the cuffs of the tailored suit Robertus found appropriate for the boy to wear._

_“Useless child. You don't even belong here boy, Antonious was a plague to the family. Warped in the head. I see the way you look. Standing off in the damned corner, just as he used to do. Glaring at everyone,hiding behind those fake smiles, when really we know all you want to do is rip us to shreds because your precious little ego's can't handle it!' Making to move, the servant couldn't get any more words out, Hannibal having grabbed the shears he'd brought with him (but not used) pushing them as far into the servants back as he could._

_Blood poured down the shears, Hannibal had to dodge to avoid getting any on his suit,watching the man fall forward on his knees, eyes fluttering, jerking in his skull a couple of times before stilling,the lids closing part way over them. Death came so fast that it shocked Hannibal, his hands trembling,body quivering beneath his finely tailored clothes. Yet, there was a smell there. A scent unlike anything before. His nose twitched, finger swiping across it,opening his nostrils to inhale more of it. Crouching near the dead body, he pushed his fingers into the back, withdrawing the shears so that more blood could flow._

_Oh that blood. Potent and strong. Hannibal felt his head swim. Intoxicating. Tantalizing. His eyes watered with it's effects. Spreading his knees,he scooted back a little,bracing his hands on the back over the cut, before he took a deep breath, dipping his head towards the open,gushing wound, taking a few tentative licks. The moment his tongue dove into the sanguine,he felt as though his veins had become charged with electricity. A moan escaped before he could help himself,and he dipped down further,tasting flesh,bone and muscle._

_Sitting up to breathe, blood coated his face like a child putting on lipstick for the first time, with a small gasp,Hannibal looked to the flowers,blood falling in small,sluggish rivulets down his chin and neck._

_They were,after all, so pretty._

“Hannibal?” A slightly croaky voice was coaxing him, trying to drag him back to reality. Blinking, Hannibal opened his sluggish eyes, grunting when nothing but more darkness greeted him. Foolishly,he tried to move,only to discover that he couldn't. Yet,he remained clothed. If immobile. A moment of tugging brought to life his sudden current position. Spread eagle, chained to the bed posts. Feet bracing against the bottom head board. Golden piping,just like the whole of the four poster. Heavy chains held him secure.

Directly across from himself was Bond, spread exactly in the same manner as he. Arms out, closer to the top of the posts, feet down, braced against the headboard. Will was still naked,in the very middle of them,between them. He appeared to be sleeping,though his irregular breathing told Hannibal he was unconscious. James and Hannibal faced each other, hanging strapped between Will, up in the air, so they loomed, almost. 

James was the one who'd called out Hannibal's name. Seeing the Dr come out of his reverie and sleep,he smiled, though it was cold. More a stretching of lips,than anything of pleasure,warmth or kindness.

'Agent Bond” Hannibal greeted back, instantly annoyed by how dry and rough his own voice sounded. How it appeared to be torn from him,dragged over sandpaper.

“Good. You're awake. Le Chiffre's gone for the moment. I attempted to break these,but I can't seem to find where he's got them suspended from. So my efforts were useless. I'll keep trying though, but..” Bond paused,taking a breath. Deliberately making a show of choosing his words, until he heard Hannibal make a slight tutting sound.

'I know what you saw. My question is,what will you do about it” Hannibal asked,tonelessly. James would have shrugged if he could. 

'That all is going to depend on what happens here but..do you really care,about him?”

James didn't have to clarify, Hannibal's eyes immediately taking in the sight of Will, though he was taking strides to hide it, Bond saw the flash of pain there. The legitimate hurt he was feeling at seeing Will in the position he was in. James was of the belief that you couldn't put killers into categories. Hannibal felt pain,he felt regret and apparently,he felt love. Whatever his definition of love was. If he did care about Will Graham, then this was the evidence that would tell Bond so. 

Perhaps Silva was the same. Yet, where Hannibal was sure of himself, Silva wasn't. Silva was a force of nature. Hannibal planned every move,ever step. He calculated in his head before he acted. Silva preferred to plan in a way that would tailor to specific needs and then act impulsively. He might always have an end game in mind, but the steps he took to achieve it could vary in a single click.

Bond shook with silent laughter in his confined bindings, waiting for Hannibal to acknowledge him again. What a time for his thoughts to stray, to Silva, of all people. But. The slight pang he felt when he thought of him told Bond that it might be time for him to cease with being indifferent to the ex-agent. Maybe start paying attention to the things his mind had been trying to tell him all along. 

Silence crawled by,before Hannibal finally spoke. Accent thick, tone almost reverent.

“If one were to pick up a handful of gems.Agent Bond. They would not find the glory they expect in their handful. Many would be to worn or decimated to be worth anything. Only a few select would be able to bring forth value,and even then, you would be lucky to find even one that is truly precious.' Hannibal's eyes drifted up from Will,meeting Bond's squarely. Even in the dark of the room. 'Rarer still would you find one that has more than one layer. One that you know is perfect. Can be put into any shape you desire for it to be, carried around on your person after you mold it to the shape you wish. That gem is the worthy one, that gem is what truly matters. That gem will sparkle like the diamond it is even in the darkest light, make you feel good no matter what the circumstances' Another drift,Hannibal looked back to Will.

“William Graham, is that gem. He's the tiny spark that makes the world better around me. Something I can look too, reminding me that the world does have true beauty. Of course, I see beauty everywhere. I merely try to rid the world of those who decide to infringe upon what is rightfully ours. But my high standards bring with them a sense of loneliness I felt was going to dominate the rest of my life. It's only clearing,as been Will. Alas, this is a selfish view. But it's not of course,without it's benefits. Will is full of potential and drive that he shies so far from. Intelligent in ways few of us are. I help him explore who he truly is, giving him the confidence he needs to be true to himself. Too not hide beneath his worries,but instead embrace what he already knows is truth'

A light chuckle that appeared painful when Hannibal took it, shifting in the chains, metal ratting.

“I suppose that answers your question,Agent Bond?”

James snorted, plainly. “Yes..Dr Lecter. I would say that it does' But there was double meaning to Hannibal's words that he couldn't even begin to decipher. Nor would he have the time, the door opened with a push, and James and Hannibal both raised their heads to see Le Chiffre with his aide, Basil entering the room.

“I do hate to interrupt this glorious little love fest,boys. But we've got to get moving. Time is finite and I am impatient” Le Chiffre paused,turning to run a hand through the blood in Hannibal's hair, bringing his head down until he was nose to nose with his brother. 

“You see this?” He asked, moving his head so that Hannibal could look back at Will. 'See where you've brought him? The chain of events is truly deadly,Hannibal. I told you you'd regret your every move someday,did you think I was jesting?”

Hannibal blinked, lifting his eyes up towards Le Chiffre's.

'You always were, so foolish. Impulsive. It's why you could have never stayed with me in the first place. We'd have both been dead with your rashness.' Hannibal replied, his tone so cold that James felt the chill of it across the landscape of the bed.

Le Chiffre noticed it too,his hand tightening in Hannibal's hair, yanking his head up with a growl, pulling Hannibal's head up and in, latching his mouth to the others and biting down as hard as he could on the flesh of it,drawing blood almost immediately,collecting it on his tongue,pushing it past Hannibal's teeth and past into Hannibal's own mouth with his tongue.

James made a strangled choking sound,shaking his head.

'That..is just wrong” he deadpanned, mouth twisting into a small sneer. Basil's hand shot up,latching around James' neck to keep him quiet. 

After a moment, Le Chiffre pulled back, lips bloodied,stained red, most of it dripping from Hannibal's lips and mouth though. His finger trailed a path down the line of Hannibal's throat, ignoring the tiny little clicking sounds Bond made despite the hold Basil had on his neck.

'All this blood spilt, it's because of you,Hannibal. Soon you'll see' Hannibal just stared at him blankly,defiant in silence alone. Le Chiffre sighed,snapping his fingers. Basil took a small syringe from his pocket, pushing the needle into the most prominent vein on Bond's neck,the tall agent falling limp only moments later. Le Chiffre held a syringe in his own hand now, working Hannibal's tie loose with his free hand, unbuttoning the top two buttons of his shirt. Hannibal continued to stare,lethal silence radiating from him.

Le Chiffre's voice was almost a whisper, the needle sinking into the flesh. 'Soon,brother. Soon you'll see' Moving back and watching as Hannibal sagged in his chains. Le Chiffre pocketed the needle,nodding at Basil. 'Is the van ready?”

'Of course, Sir”

'Good. Let's go. We don't have much time”

~~

Jack Crawford's office in Quantico, Virginia was the one place nobody wanted to be at right now. Jack was pacing, infuriated as he appraised the bloodied, blonde haired man standing in front of his desk.

'You mean to tell me, that you've known exactly where Le Chiffre is. That you've known for at least twelve hours,and instead of deciding to tell the authorities about it, you instead gave the information to the incapacitated agent we specifically didn't want anywhere NEAR the man, and you LET.HIM.GO?” Silva sighed, nodding his head yet again. “Yes. It is as I said then,and as I say now” Jack rubbed his temples again,staring at his wall before turning back around.  
'Run this by me again. Your name is Raoul Silva. You came here too assist Agent James Bond,on your own terms,but deliberately stayed hidden from the authorities. Working behind our backs' Sliva sighed,stretching his arms out to the side.

'Bit of a broken record you are,but yes. That is what I am saying. My statement isn't going to change just because you reword your question. This is tiresome'

Jack tapped his fingers against his thighs,furious.

'Why,if you were so eager too help,did you not contact us directly?”

Silva blinked at him,pointing to Jack's laptop.

“Search my name. That will tell you why. Try 'Tiago Rodriguez' if nothing comes up under 'Raoul Silva”

Jack's eyes flashed,deadly.

'I do not have the time to play games Mr Silva”

'Just search me. You'll see'

Jack fumed again,exhaling furiously as he sat down in his desk chair,typing the name into the database.

Silva waited, it took exactly as long as he expected before Jack's eyes shot back up again.

'Why should I believe you NOW?”

'Because I'm a man with no future,who has nothing to gain and certainly nothing more to loose. That's why”

Jack was about to speak again,but a knock on the door interrupted him. 

“Yes?”

Beverly opened the door, looking tense. “Sorry Jack but uh..there's-' Katz was unable to finish the sentence when the most diminutive woman Jack had ever seen pushed her way inside,followed by a tall brunette. Silva paled minimally, sub-consciously backing further into the wall. Jack straightened his back, looking down at the white haired woman drawn up to her full height. 

“Mam-”

“Agent Jack Crawford. You are the head of the BAU in the American FBI. Whom has been on this case for more than a week. Yet, in the course of that time, you've managed to loose an entire house, two agents and a civilian. The most work that has been done to achieve even a modicum of what might be called a lead under extremely callous,lenient circumstances. There is no trace of Le Chiffre, the agents or the civilian and yet here you are attempting to extract answers from a notorious liar while your Scientific Team is still attempting to trace and track whereabouts. Is this pragmatic in the least,Agent Crawford?”

Jack bristled under the woman's verbal lashing but tried not to show it. From the tone of her voice,he knew exactly who she was. Even though she'd not bothered to introduce herself.

“We fell behind, M. This man here-' he pointed to Silva. 'Has told us that he knows where Le Chiffre is, and we were just about to set out and find him. We've prepared a full SWAT team' M stared back at him coolly, not bothering to acknowledge Silva's presence but aware of it. 

'You're telling me that Silva found out in hours what it's taken your team days to accomplish?” Jack narrowed his eyes,looking back to Silva.

“It would appear that Mr Silva has far greater talent than my team' Silva made a show of looking interested in his shoes,not really having much to say to these people.

The brunette woman, who was kind of staying behind M side stepped the shorter woman, making her way to Silva and eventually standing beside him,though Jack could see that she shook slightly. Being so near the blonde one rattled her, though Silva gave her the respect of keeping his distance. He made no move to her,only acknowledging her by remaining perfectly still. Jack realized it was more for her benefit than his own.

Quietly, she whispered to him. “We were getting nowhere. I had to call her. I didn't even know you were out”

Silva took a breath, shoulders hunching slightly.

'You..did the right thing,Severine' the woman nodded,pulling away from him the second her message was conveyed, taking up residence beside M once more. M , without pulling her gaze from Jack,reached into her bag and pulled out a leather bound book. Jack couldn't read the golden script across it. But he could tell that it was French.

'My own people have determined that this might be a little more personal than we all realized. I was curious as to why Le Chiffre had chosen America to hide out, but then I was mailed this by a contact in Paris. In your second phone call to me,you mentioned that your Dr Hannibal Lecter,the missing civilian, was working closely with the FBI as Agent Will Graham's psychiatrist and consultant,yes?”

Jack nodded,glancing back down at the book. 'Yes. But we ruled out the idea that Le Chiffre was after Hannibal Lecter. He informed us that he'd only met the other a handful of times,and that he didn't know him well”

M snorted, glancing down at the book in her hands. 'Well.This might surprise you then. This is a year book from a Paris Boarding School. From 1981” Flipping open the year book,she made her way to a few pages towards the middle,scrolling until she found what she needed. 'What do you see,Agent Crawford?”

Jack looked down, mouth tightening when he followed the line of her finger,braced precariously over two photos. On the left was a photo of a sixteen year old boy, headed, _'Lecter,Hannibal. Year 3'_ on the right, was the portrait of a fourteen year old boy, headed. _'Lecter, Livy. Year 1'_ Jack stared at the faces for a moment, M watching his face with narrow eyed contemplation.  
“Livy Lecter didn't grow up to be Le Chiffre,did he?” Jack asked,rather pointlessly. M snorted again.

'He most certainly did. According to the research my contact did, the Lecters were the best of friends. Staying plastered to each others sides all through school. Apparently when Hannibal moved onto University,he came back to visit. According to what the others who knew the two at the time have said,they had some kind of a falling out when Hannibal graduated and moved to America. That's the most we know of the situation'

Jack tapped his fingers against the desk. “Why would Hannibal have lied then?”

M stared at him. 'Quite a question,isn't it?”

Jack was done fucking around. Looking back to the book,he turned to the temporarily forgotten Silva, pointing at the man's chest.

“Where is Le Chiffre now?” he asked, putting a hand over the radio that would gather the SWAT team. Silva looked up from his studying of the ground.

'Prince Albert Hotel, Bayridge Pennsylvania, Room 403” Silva answered briskly, Jack nodded, accepting it as truth. If Silva was right then they had to act,and act now. Pushing the button on his radio,he reached into his closet,tugging on a bullet proof vest.

'We're moving out. I imagine you'll be following” M just nodded,stepping to the side so she could leave the office. When Jack moved out, M pointed at Silva.

'I'll deal with you when we get everyone back in what might or might not be one piece,for now,come with me. You may have one final chance to prove yourself”

Silva went, silently to her side. M turned to Severine,and the three followed Jack from the office.

~~

The Prince Albert Hotel of Bayridge Pennsylvania was one of the grandest hotels in the city. Elegantly Victorian in it's design, it boasted of six stories, six hundred rooms, a grand palour that held poker night, opera night,piano night,any night you could think of. Spectacular dance floor, all day and partially all night dinner buffet of international cuisine and the finest linens you could find. A pricey stay,but a worthwhile experience.

At least,it had been. That's what it had been up until an hour ago,when the entire place had gone up in flames. Starting in room 403,the flames had spread to encompass the entire building. EMT's were finally able to get stretchers into the place to wheel out the victims,the firemen having finally taken care of the burn.

Standing just off to the side was the FBI SWAT team, Jack,Severine,M and Silva, all wearing matching expressions of annoyed exasperation.

Le Chiffre,and his captives, were gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * In these flashbacks, Hannibal and the servant are speaking Lithuanian,where it takes place. I obviously don't speak Lithuanian,or know much about the place so, for reasons, it's in English. I've mostly guessed about the estate.
> 
> *I've decided for Hannibal to be 48,currently. (Le Chiffre 46) with their father having died when Hannibal was 11 (in 1976). Hannibal's mother dying in child birth,in 1965. Hannibal would have gone to live with Robertus back then. I realize this varies greatly from what little Hannibal reveals about his life in the TV show and even MORE so from the movies and books. I had to tweak the background to fit the story.
> 
> *I don't know the name of Lecter Sr. I probably should have googled,but I named him Antonious here. For no reason beyond it being along the same lines as Robertus.
> 
> *For the readers who've not seen _Skyfall_. Silva is a cyber terrorist who kind of blew up MI-6 and kind of destroyed parts of the London Underground. So yeah. He's a criminal.


	11. Devil of Desire

Perhaps it could be worse, Bond thought. Waking up from the deep, man-made sedative sleep he'd been forced into, blinking and squinting as his eyes adjusted to the dimly lit room. His surroundings appeared to be made entirely of cement, smelling of motor oil and gasoline. Walls lined with metal pieces and rubber. Some kind of large garage. A tap dripped ominously in the distance,the chronic cadence that would drive anyone insane.

Swallowing a cough, he rolled, only to find that he was sitting on his knees, ankles bound by the chains, arms latched behind his back. Le Chiffre had managed to pick chains that were strong enough to hold, yet thin enough to wind into intricate little knots. How very savvy of him indeed. James felt something sold against his side,and when he glanced down he could see Will lying on his back on the floor, arms also bound behind his back,ankles tied. Bond squinted, shuffling as quietly as he could,bringing his ear to Will's chest and trying to get a reading on the man's breathing.

By some miracle, his breathing was still fairly regular,if distant and low. Skin ice cold to the touch, James could barely see the mans veins. He had little doubt that if someone were to cut Will now,the dehydration would have his blood pour fourth with the same thickness as molasses. For a moment,he wondered how long they could keep Will alive,depending on whether or not Le Chiffre was done with the man or not. Not for the first time, James felt the nodes of anger rising inside of him,growing hotter,stronger,the longer he looked to Will.

Will hadn't deserved this. He didn't deserve to be in the place he was now. James didn't know if Graham was a scapegoat or something Le Chiffre was desperate to exploit,what he did know was that Will would die if they didn't get out of here. Preferably sooner rather than later. Working himself back to his own side, Bond started rubbing his wrists against the metal, trying to find any sort of weak spot that he could. Movement across the expanse of cement alerted James to Le Chiffre's actual presence, watching the man loom over the still unconscious form of his elder sibling, running his large hand through his bloodied and matted hair,whispering in a language Bond didn't immediately recognize. 

“Beautiful,isn't he? All dressed up, pristine, only to have it ravaged by the blood that coats him. You wouldn't believe the red in this man's eyes,Bond” Le Chiffre all but purred, making it clear that he knew James was awake and watching his every move. “Decorates himself like a fucking peacock to mask the stains on his skin. He can no sooner wash the spots free than Lady MacBeth could.' Hand tightening in Hannibal's hair, Le Chiffre bent down, dragging his teeth down the column of Hannibal's neck where he'd undone the tie and buttons, lapping gently at the skin in wide sweeps with his tongue, finally finding the exact patch of skin he desired,sinking his teeth down until the flesh broke.

James cringed, staring at Le Chiffre hazily.

'They say incest is bad for the soul” he rasped. “But then,you do come from nobility,don't you?” Le Chiffre growled lightly against Hannibal's skin, deliberately letting the blood flow freely,staining the already dirty dress shirt like a declaration.

“It's his fault. He's the one who started it' Le Chiffre pointed out, moving behind Hannibal's chained form,until his head was placed in his lap, hands working down Hannibal's bloody throat, down under the shirt, seeming to rest there. James raised an eye, watching Le Chiffre curiously, with open disgust.

“Really. Did he fuck you too? Take you when you least expected it, driving into you before you were even old enough to understand?” James deadpanned,earning a snort.

'Nothing quite so crass or amateur” Le Chiffre corrected. 'It was the murders. The blood, the victims. Being twenty you know,it excited him. There's a sensuality to death, to the screams that lights the most vibrant of fires' He paused, hands working to pry open Hannibal's vest, the icepick he'd used on Will back in hand. James didn't miss the symbolism.

'Right. Wonderful murder porn. Is that it?”

Le Chiffre sighed.

'So crass, so uneducated. Missing the point entirely”

'Flowery speech hardly changes the point”

'So you might think. But you are missing the message' Le Chiffre insisted,finally getting the vest and jacket to roll down over Hannibal's arms, exposing the expanse of his chest,poking at the fine planes with his ice pick. “You see Mr Bond,there's killers,and then,there is Hannibal. Hannibal Lecter, presenting the perfect society man to the world while hiding in the shadows, preying on those he considers to be far lesser than he. But murder isn't enough,after all' The pick dug in,drawing forth blood that Le Chiffre collected in his fingers, bringing the digits to his mouth and sucking on them gently.

James shifted a little in his chains, feeling one loosen just so over his wrist. If he could just rework it, then he could slip free. Instead,he focused on Le Chiffre, watching him pet and stroke the skin, bloody fingers drawing down Hannibal's face,his neck,over his shoulders. Everywhere he could reach really. James recoiled mentally. 

'And Will Graham? What about him?” Le Chiffre grinned, abnormally sharp teeth pulled free, reminding James of fangs.

“When I saw how infatuated Hannibal was with Will Graham, I saw impossibility. I saw miracle. To have even Hannibal's callous,fleeting mind grabbed so intricately and violently by Will. Of course I was curious. I wanted to see for myself. Knowing what Hannibal is. How deeply Hannibal owned Graham, how he fell to pieces under his..' Le Chiffre paused, hands skirting up from their exploration of Hannibal's waist to his lips, tracing over them, “talented hands. Hands that were best suited for carving up his vicitims. Instead of bringing forth destruction,they brought about life. I desperately wanted to see how that was possible. After all. If Hannibal had something precious too him for the first time in decades, I had every reason to exploit it. Make Hannibal feel pain. Do you know how hard it is to make the Devil cry, Agent Bond?”

Bond twisted, feeling his fingers snag on one of the chains. Basil, forgotten to both of them, came forth from a corner and yanked on the back of Bonds chains, wrapping the metal even tighter,hooking them around a poll that was cemented into the ground. Le Chiffre just sighed,having expected that Bond would attempt to escape. Basil remained stationed behind James now, intent on making sure that nobody went anywhere. 

“Devil's don't cry, Le Chiffre. They devour while weeping”

Le Chiffre just grinned, pulling Hannibal upwards so that he was drapped over his lap now, his head lolling against Le Chiffre's shoulder. Hand petting against Hannibal's head in a mock caress. “Sometimes they cry,sometimes they weep. Weep for the things that haven't gone there way” Moving his mouth to Hannibal's ear,he flicked, licking against the shell of it,coaxing Hannibal awake. 'Come now,Hannibal. It's time to wake up. Let's go”

James blinked. Hannibal,naturally, continued to remain dormant against Le Chiffre. 

Undaunted, Le Chiffre bit down again, directly into the lobe of Hannibal's ear. “Hannibal.' Much firmer now, tense. Annoyed. “Wake up”

“If pains not waking him your cute little words won't either” James pointed out,casting another glance to Will. The Agent made a faint moaning sound in the back of his throat,but no movement came forth. Le Chiffre sighed, tossing Hannibal aside and walking to a part of the garage that was too dark for James to make out what was happening.

When he came back, he was holding a small container of ice. One hand pried open Hannibal's mouth,the other the container of ice, dumping forth the contents until one of the cubes activated Hannibal's gag reflex; the combination of the cold and shock jerking Hannibal awake. He thrashed on the ground, head tipping to the side and spitting the cubes of ice out, taking large,gasping breaths that he tried, much to James amazement,to keep contained. Dignified. As if he couldn't let go even now. James had to wonder just how deep Hannibal's pride went.

Le Chiffre watched Hannibal gagging with a bored expression,hand finding it's old place in Hannibal's hair,yanking his head up and forcing him to look to Will. “You were taking far to long to wake, didn't I tell you that time was finite?” he asked, tilting his head at Hannibal. The elder just stared at Will, ignoring Le Chiffre entirely. Watching the movements of Will's body, making sure he was alive before even bothering to take note of Le Chiffre at all.

'Will was nothing to you. I've been what you wanted all along. Will was just a scapegoat. A dart board. It didn't have to be so convoluted. If you wanted me so badly you could have set out for just me instead. What a waste of time' Le Chiffre snorted, inhaling the scent of blood from Hannibal's skin. 'You of all people should know that it's not so black and white. I warned you then that things wouldn't go your way forever. Did you actually think I'd not live up to my word?”

Now Hannibal snorted,though it was contained. 'I didn't think you'd take so long”

'What better time to strike, when you are unprepared? No matter, Will has been most rewarding. So like you. I'm not surprised at all. I wasn't good enough because I was already just a corrupted as you, but, Will. Oh dear,dear Will. Built with the figure of a breakable dish, so open and yet so closed off. Such darkness that hides beneath those scared wide eyes. Like clay waiting to fold under your hands' Hannibal had gone very still, Le Chiffre working a hand around Hannibal's waist, until it covered his front.

James grunted, shaking his head in exasperation. Le Chiffre smirked. Hannibal stared, impassive despite the heat radiating from his body.

“A body is more obvious than a mouth,Hannibal. More telling. You've wanted to destroy Will from the moment you saw him. Dig out the darkness with a shovel and plant you're own seeds. Watching them fester, sprout. Until he was little more than your creation. A perfect creation. He'd not be worth anything otherwise, hmm?” Le Chiffre's hand pressed more deliberately, taking great satisfaction in the aroused response Hannibal generated despite not having said a word. Always good at the stone routine.

“Like a lion that's found an open deer. You just couldn't resist,could you? No, who could expect you too? He was right there. So lost,so pitiful,just waiting for the right Master to pick up the strings. Giving you something you thought you never could have. Fill the dull,empty space you created for yourself because the thought of letting anybody inside twists you like a knife in the gut. Not even trying to deny it even now. How he excites you so. How delicious his tears taste on your palate. Just waiting for the moment when you can push yourself further, insert your spirit and drink blood and truth from him. Even now,you pulse under my hand. Because you know it's truth”

Hannibal continued to watch Will, maroon eyes dancing slightly in the dim lighting, committing ever scar on Will's body to memory. Mind blissfully blank, safe from Le Chiffre's quiet torrent of words. Locked away from truth.

“Your point?” He finally asked, turning his head, letting his lips barely ghost across Le Chiffre's. 'If you know everything already,why say such things? Do you think me blind to my own sanity? My own reasons?”

Le Chiffre grunted, gripping Hannibal's chin in hand and bring them nose to nose.

“Because” he licked inside, tongue running over Hannibal's teeth, 

“You can't have that. Men like you don't deserve it. Men like you only deserve those they've already destroyed”

Hannibal smirked, shaking his head even in Le Chiffre's tight grasp.

“I should have taken your other eye when I had the chance” His tongue spilling forth from his mouth, trailing over the scar, before tipping his head back down, letting his own eyes close. Le Chiffre looked over at James,who was watching the two of them with much the same face he'd had at first. 

'We'll see about that. Mr Bond, if you would be so kind. I do believe Agent Graham has slept long enough. It's time to shine some lights'

~~

When there was enough activity going on around you,it could be easy to tune out. Let yourself become lost in your own head. The mind was a strange thing, retreating into it's depths nothing short of a blissful escape, wrapping you in a blanket, protecting you from what really existed.

Silva was no stranger to being protected by mind alone. During the final stages of his torment, the long,endless torture sessions, his soul had taken refuge in the furthest reaches. Out of harms way, out of the clinging fingers and the burning hot irons of his captors. Keeping him safe. The only thing out there that still cared about him enough to do so.

Now, standing against the black SUV outside the burning remains of the Prince Albert Hotel, Silva closed his eyes and retreated, cloaking himself in memory and solitude.

_Hearing noise was strange, especially since the area around him was always so quiet. His foggy glass offered him no view. Prevented him from seeing anything that was happening around him save for the whiteness. Reminding him of snow. Not that he was actually all that accustomed to snow, but he remembered enjoying it on the rare occasion. Snow was pretty, but deadly. Gleaming little crystals of water that could kill when grouped together, not looking any less gorgeous for it._

_Sometimes, he felt the entire world could be that way. Just because something looked good,it didn't mean it was. Just because you believed in something,that didn't mean it would be there for you. Deception was everywhere. Always looking over your shoulder,because you just didn't know where to duck._

_Glass clearing a little, the fog revealed, he moved against his cot,not bothering to lift his head from the white pillow. Daydreaming, as he was doing now, was fun. His visitor could introduce themselves when they needed him._

_Of course, that never happened. Never did._

_'Back so soon,Agent Bond? Is this giant snowflake really so interesting?” he asked, rolling onto his back,folding his arms against his chest and stomach,peering at Bond through blonde eyelashes._

_“No,I'm just addicted to the smell of body odor” James deadpanned, waiting for the guard to close the door, staying exactly where he was until the glass became frosted once more. Silva chuckled, sitting up on his cot and patting the spot beside him. One Bond never took, of course._

_'Did you cut the cameras again?”_

_'I do hate the eye in the sky”_

_'Especially during conjugal visits?”_

_'That is not what this is” Bond snapped him,as he always did, surprising Silva by crossing the cell, taking a seat on the cot. Silva noted there were bags under his eyes, and he automatically moved his hand to encompass the expanse of Bond's neck, rubbing the tense muscles there, hearing James groan openly before he caught it in time._

_“What do you call it then,hmm? Villainous visitation?”_

_'Don't flatter yourself' Bond retorted,though it came out strangled, muscles undulating under Silva's skillful manipulation of them. Silva chuckled, standing up from the bed, pointing at James suit coat. 'Come. Get rid of that, I'll do this properly. You're back is tighter than barbed wire' Bond glared at him suspiciously but did as he was told,removing a small bottle filled with amber coloured liquid, handing that to Silva as he shrugged out of his suit coat._

_'Johnny Walker Red Label. Why James I had no idea you cared” Silva mocked, stashing the gift away under his bedding. James flopped gracelessly onto his stomach, snorting._

_“Cheap whiskey is a crime I won't even bestow upon you” he explained, waiting for Silva to come back and do something a lot more productive than snipe about liquor. Silva contemplated making James wait longer, just to see how far Bond would go before he actually whined,but decided to give him some mercy, after all,he had been nice enough to bring him a present._

_Moving, he crawled up onto the bed, straddling backs of James thighs, patting his sides._

_'You know there are other activities that would do wonders for your back' James huffed._

_'I'll remember that next time, Romeo' wiggling his shoulders blatantly. Silva snickered, bringing his hands to Bond's shoulders,starting to kneed the tight flesh there, lips against Bond's ear._

_'Does that make you Juliet? Clutching hopelessly at a per-pubescent bosom?” James bucked his thighs under him in retaliation,which only made Silva chuckle._

_'Mm..I'm hotter than Juliet anyway' James mumbled, unable to keep a groan of pleasure at bay when Silva's large, skilled hands worked a stubborn knot of flesh loose again, his hands working their way down James back, beating, twisting and kneading. Raoul found himself enjoying the task,liking the play of muscles under the tight white dress shirt,the slightly breathless gasps he got when he worked just so, and the groan of pure pleasure when the flesh finally freed itself._

_“I have to agree with that' Silva attested. “What incredible feat of physicality did you engage upon this time? Your back is a disaster area”_

_James sighed,voice slightly languid, his body a lot more supple under Silva now. 'Uh...I may have had to chase some guy through the Louvre?”_

_Silva huffed, tapping James's side,climbing off of him so the younger agent could roll onto his back, whic he did,sprawling out like a cat, biting back a protest when Silva straddled him again,peering down at him._

_“So much work. Pointless work. Doesn't explain the back,though'_

_'He might have pushed me over the top of that hilarious glass triangle” Silva snorted._

_'What would you ever do if you lead a dull,meaningless life,hmm. Do you even know how to function without being in danger?” Silva asked,letting his hands wander to James open collar, running against the collar bone as he did so. James puffed out a breath, sitting himself upwards now, arms looping around Silva's back._

_'That..' he brought their foreheads together, forcing himself to meet Silva's eyes with his own. 'Would be terrifyingly tedious”_

_'Heaven forbid”_

_James laughed, staring at Silva's face for a fraction too long, Silva taking the opportunity to silence Bond with his own mouth,getting a breathless sigh in return, feeling the lightest trace of a tongue against his own. Warm and gentle._

_Pulling back, Bond huffed again, though his voice was low,and he didn't move away._

_'I don't even like you' he protested._

_Silva chuckled,drawing him into another kiss._

_'I know. I know'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * Assuming any of you out there reading haven't had to read _MacBeth_ By William Shakespeare, Lady MacBeth was the wife of MacBeth. After she murdered a man, she woke up in the middle of the night,attempting to was the blood from her hands. She was sleep walking, and there was no blood. It was entirely metaphorical; _"Out out,damned spot!"_ As so declared by her. Of course,the meaning is that one cannot erase murder. Hence, why she was unable to clean her hands.
> 
> * In _Skyfall_ They put Silva in a glass holding cell. When a button is pushed,the glass frosts over. Preventing him from seeing in or out. I've expanded it's widths a bit,since in the original,he barely has room to move, let alone put a cot in. If you'd like a visual, just copy this link. http://i.imgur.com/rpYITAm.jpg


	12. Crescendo

Shifting himself in his chains, James looked back down at the still breathing Will, hestitant to obey Le Chiffre's terse command. At least he would be able to protect Will from Le Chiffre this time,or at least,try too.

“Come now we haven't got all day Bond, or am I going to have to force you?' Le Chiffre snapped, wrapping a firm hand about Hannibal's mouth,keeping him quiet. James swallowed, shifting a little until his knees were pressed against Will's side, bending his head down and getting as close to Will's ear as the strange position would allow.

Beneath Le Chiffre, Hannibal was deadly still,eyes narrowed, teeth scrapping against Le Chiffre's palm,earning him a hard rap on the head from a pipe Le Chiffre had grabbed, causing Hannibal to sway slightly in the others grasp.

'Keep still, you had your chance to protect him. There's no such thing as second chances in this game,Hannibal'

There was no stopping it, James was out of time. Basil still held tight to the chains, causing his skin to break with each pull,blood leaking out over the metal. They were to a point where delaying things was only going to make the situation worse for Will. So Bond relented, gently calling out to him.

“Will? Will can you hear me?” Will huffed in his sleep but didn't stir. James cringed, trying again,much louder now. 'Will,come on Will,up and about. You have to wake up alright? I know you don't want too,but you have too. Come on'

Still no movement from the man and James cringed more, stealing a glance at an increasingly annoyed Le Chiffre, taking a breath and whispering quickly in Will's ear. 

'I'm sorry'

Standing to his feet as best as he could, James swayed a little, backing up a few feet by shuffling his body from side to side, throwing himself in the air and twisting,slamming into Will with an executed hit to his windpipe, feeling Will shudder under himself. Quickly,he rolled off the other agent,hearing him cough and inhale sharply, throat constricting and contracting as he fought to get his bearings and regain air. 

Le Chiffre wasn't at all interested in wasting time.

'Basil,grab Bond”

James couldn't roll himself away in time, feeling Basil yank on his bindings and draw him back, hooking his arms around James bound ones and pulling him backwards against his own body,holding him prone. Le Chiffre mimicked the movement with his own captive, freeing Hannibal's mouth for the first time. Will was still trying to adjust to the dark.

'Will!' Will's dark eyes shifted, rolling himself up painfully onto his knees.

'Hannibal?”  
'It's alright Will,it's going to be alright. Ignore everything else around you just focus on me. Nothing else is here,nothing else exists. Come on Will,focus your mind, focus on me' Will's gaze cemented, even though he was aware of everything else,he watched Hannibal,nodding slowly. Having too much trouble drawing words from his dry throat.

Behind Hannibal, Le Chiffre rapped him on the head with the pipe, blood pooling against Hannibal's scalp. Will let out a sort of whine that almost sounded pitiful as Hannibal's head lolled forward, starts dancing in the doctors vision.

'Shut up. I don't think your petty little sentiments are going to help when Will hears the truth,hmm?”

Will's eyes darted up from Hannibal,glancing towards Le Chiffre. 

“What truth could I possibly believe from you?” Le Chiffre snorted, hand tangling in Hannibal's scalp,forcing him to look at Will again. 

'Tell him. He deserves to hear it from you,after all”

“Hear WHAT from me?” Will demanded,shuffling more in his bindings, letting out a hiss when his naked knees scraped hard against the cement of the garage. Le Chiffre had to be lying. What couldn't he possibly know about Hannibal already? But when Will looked back at Hannibal, he felt his throat sliding into his stomach.

Hannibal was crying.

Quietly,softly. But crying. Will felt his heart speed up in his chest despite his exhaustion. Le Chiffre couldn't be right, could he? Surely Hannibal was crying for some other reason beyond a long hidden truth. There had to be another reason. There had too be.

'Hannibal?” His voice was strangled, unsure. Le Chiffre sighed.

'Special Agent Will Graham,one of the brightest minds of the FBI, able to solve every case presented to him. Except one. The toughest one. Those who've gotten too close to solving it have just disappeared without a trace,boom!' he snapped his fingers. 'They're gone. Before anyone can get to close. Before anyone could possibly know. The reason the Devil was able to hide in plain sight was because many people were convinced he didn't exist. The same thing has happened to you! Don't you see! For all your brilliance,for all your intelligent guess work, you've never been able to see a truth that's been staring you in the face this whole time!”

Will felt his throat constrict, the pieces falling together without him wanting too. 

'Serial killers always look normal,Will Graham. You of all people should know that”

James wanted to interfere. Wanted to spare Will the pain that was about to come. A pain that would be far greater than any of the torture he'd endured. One thing James knew was that betrayal hurt more than the sharpest knife on your weakest point, and he couldn't spare Will that pain no matter what he thought of now.

Will shook his head, looking back at Hannibal,whom,to his credit,was still crying openly, as if he was in as much pain as Will currently was.

Suddenly enraged, Le Chiffre released Hannibal,forcing the psychiatrist to get his own bearings as he made his way to Will,grabbing him by the hair and dragging him to Hannibal with it.Until the two were nose to nose. His other hand grabbed Hannibal's head,and he held them together just so.

'Don't you see!' He hissed in Will's ear. 'Look at him! Look at him and see it! See what you've known all along but been too blinded by his false charade, his apparent love for you, his apparent belief in your pathetic little heart and your stupid idiosyncrasies and see what's been hidden by that pathetic falsity you call love! See it,Will! See it! Tell him!' Suddenly addressing Hannibal. 'Tell him the truth!'

Will choked, feeling his own tears rise,but unable to fall. Hanging across his eyes like a glassy veil. Hannibal's had ceased, if only due to the shock of new pain.

'Will” he swallowed, and even though Will knew what was coming,it didn't hurt any less when he said it.

'I'm the Chesapeake Ripper'

Will's stomach rolled over and he swayed in Le Chiffre's grip, pulling back deliberately to get his forehead off of Hannibal's. Mentally recoiling before he even registered the movement was happening physically as well.

Le Chiffre laughed,dark and controlled in their ears. 

'That's right. He's the man you've never been able to catch,the man who dresses himself in the finest tailored clothing and feeds you his victims for dinner. Taking sick, wonderful pride in it all. Tell him the rest! Go on, don't let it end prematurely,tell him how well you really know me. Tell dear, broken Will what's really going on in your twisted little heart,Hannibal. After all' he glanced down at Will,who actively seemed to be swallowing his tears..

'It's not as if your ever going back to the pathetic cutesy little life you tried to create before. Who would want you. Who do you even deserve? The only thing you should get in life is a big,rotting hole. Something large enough to swallow up everything you love and spit it back up. Twisted, too disgusted to look at you. That's the Hell you've made of your life and you should face it every day!'

Hannibal seemed to have fallen silent, either unable or unwilling to open his mouth anymore. Will growled,bucking hard against Le Chiffre's hand. Hard enough that he was forced to relinquish his grip. Not that he minded,for in the next moment, Will was looming over Hannibal, standing, shouting in his face.

'Well!? Tell me the rest! Come on now! What else are yo hiding from me? What other things have I put in my mouth! Who the hell have I eaten? If you even cared about me, if you ever had the slightest hint of respect for me you'll tell me! If you even know what that is! If you can even pretend,if I can even pretend for a single second that you are capable of something as silly as feelings and caring!”

Beside Will's screaming form,Le Chiffre was delighted,smirking brightly.

“Well,Hannibal? Are you going to deny him even that much?”

Staring down at him, Will was panting. Eyes bright, cheeks gleaming. So desperate,so hurt, so agonized. Hannibal felt himself choking before he could stop it, forcing his head up to meet Will's gaze.

'When we were in school, I would take Le Chiffre, he was called Livy back then on killing sprees with me. Bringing back the victims to consume. We hunted together often. Until I decided to attend medical school. Livy and I had a bad fight, I scarred his eye and told him I wanted nothing more to do with him. Distancing us. I thought I'd never have to see him again'

'That has nothing to do with me' Will snarled. 'Tell me what..' he paused,the snarl breaking off into a half whine like sound. “Tell me the truth, for once,how can I even..'

'When I met you at Jack Crawford's office, I saw something I thought I could never have. Nobody ever see's the world the way I do, Will. There are only certain kinds of people. Beauty exists in every corner and yet there are those who seek to destroy it. Those who decided to inflict upon it grievous misdeeds. They don't deserve to populate our planet. So, I consume them among the presence of those I think to be worthy enough to take part in this world' He took a breath, continuing. 'It's a lonely existence, I often find myself confined only to my own bearings. After all, I have to be careful about who I let in, and sometimes' he glanced to Le Chiffre, his eyes ice. 'I misjudge who I allow near me”

'I don't exactly feel sorry for you' Will sneered. 'It's your choice to make the world the way it is. You deliberately alienate yourself with you're own actions and you wanted to drag me down with you!'

'I wanted to help you' Hannibal stressed,sounding exhausted suddenly. 'I have never lied about caring for you, Will. Even if you don't believe it. I kept the truth,the secret,because I had too. When I thought you were ready,I was going to let you know. When I thought it was safe”

“It never would have been safe,Hannibal. I'd have turned you in no matter what. We were always going to have this conversation. How could you claim you wanted to help me!?”

'I want you at peace with yourself and your world,Will. You run from the monsters,I wanted you to embrace them”

Will balked, the room was suddenly too tight, to enclosed. No one else seeming to exist except for himself and Hannibal. Air constricting. He felt like he was drowning.

'You want me to be just like you' Will whispered,as though it were too terrible to utter aloud. “You want me to be just as deranged and horrible a person as you are! I'm not like you! I'm nothing like you! I am a good person!'

'A good person who can be so much more than he is. I wanted to help you see that the monsters who torment you are not always bad,that you have the potential to be completely in control. I wanted you to have that control back,Will. I want you to be at my side. You're the only person who deserves to be'

Will choked, finally unable to think of anything else to say. Stumbling backwards, he though about the life he'd been creating with Hannibal. The Hannibal that stayed awake with him to terrible hours of the night,helping him sort through class papers and crime scenes. Hannibal coaxing him out of his nightmares, keeping him well fed, drawing him baths. Hannibal who always saw every personality flaw within himself and embraced it, petting it, massaging it. Realizing that it was a part of Will and that it was beautiful. Making Will a better,more confident person who was able to face the world without having the urge to hide under a bed and never come out. 

The man who had been everything he thought he could never have,only to throw it in his face. Was all that a lie too? Somehow,glancing down at Hannibal, he didn't think so. Hannibal wore many masks. Presented himself accordingly,tailored spectacularly to each person. He had no reason to lie to Will now,not in this position. Will couldn't bring any words forth, falling slightly to his knees,head spinning.

Le Chiffre, silent the entire time, sighed and stood,releasing Hannibal.

'And now, that you've outlived your usefulness” pulling a gun from his jacket, aiming it at Will. 'Good bye,Agent Graham”

He fired. Nailing Will in the chest and sending him sprawling. James and Hannibal screamed at exactly the same time, the gunfire loud in their ears.

'WILL!'

Graham landed backwards, crumpled in a heap. James pulled himself out of Basil's grip, breaking his right wrist in the process, nudging Will's body, finding the gunshot wound and laying himself against his chest, staunching the bleeding with his form. Basil moved to grab James, wrapping a hand around the back of his neck,but the agent whirled,raising his bound legs and kicking Basil as hard as he could in the windpipe,Basil choking as he cracked his head open on the wall he was thrust into. 

Le Chiffre appeared not to care, giving Basil's limp form the briefest of glances. Shrugging, 'Guess he wasn't as good as I thought he was” re holstering the gun, glancing down at Hannibal's tear stricken face. 'I'd kill you too,but I want you to live, want you to spend every day of your life,reminded of how you can't have anything but pain.

Hannibal snarled beneath him, suddenly rearing himself back, punching Le Chiffre as hard as he could in the face, knocking Le Chiffre off course a little. 

'You! You're cuffs,how did you?”

'You've been distracted, everything gets loose when you work at it hard enough” Hannibal's wrists were covered in blood, all the skin gone, bone showing through the mass of red. Le Chiffre could see pieces of flesh sticking to the bindings. He snarled,

'Your feet are still bound'

'I can work with that' Lurching himself forward, he head butted Le Chiffre, causing the others vision to white out for the moment. Le Chiffre pushed back, slamming Hannibal against the cement pillar.

'All of this is your fault! You never should have left me! Scarred me! I was completely alone, Hannibal! They blamed me for those murders. I had to flee the country,pick some ridiculous name,knowing that I could never go home again! All the bloodstain falling on my hands,just because I was never good enough for your smug ass! You always got dealt the better hand,and you never thought of the stains you left behind! I'm not something you can disregard like a broken toy,you deserve nothing but hell!'

“You created your own hell,Le Chiffre' Hannibal snarled coldly, pushing his bound ankles forward between Le Chiffre's legs, forcing his body to wedge between his brothers,throwing him off balance. They crashed to the ground, hard, Le Chiffre pushed his elbow against Hannibal's windpipe, choking him. Hannibal fisted both of his hands in Le Chiffre's hair, pulling at him. Raising both of his legs, he shoved Le Chiffre hard in the gut, forcing him off of himself. 

Another twist and Hannibal took a deep breath,biting back pain as skin ripped free from his ankle,freeing him from the chain. Le Chiffre yanked Hannibal back up, kicking him in the stomach and sending Hannibal flying. On his knees, Hannibal grabbed one of the chains,whipping Le Chiffre in the side with it. Blood spilling from his neck as the chain collided. Snarling, Le Chiffre reached out, pulling the chain from Hannibal's hand,looping it around his neck like a lasso and tugging. 

Hannibal choked, kicking his foot out and nailing Le Chiffre in the groin, the other collapsing forward instantly. Yanking the chain free, he dodged a punch,feeling himself pushed to the ground. Pulling on Le Chiffre's hair,they clawed and kicked and punched each other. Limbs becoming a tangled flurry of movements as they both tried to get the upper hand on one another. There were no more words, both unable to speak, only grunting as they fought. Hannibal landed a punch to Le Chiffre's windpipe, Le Chiffre briefly getting the upper hand again by kneeing Hannibal in the jaw. 

Behind them, James had finally worked his own chains free, his wrists and ankles as bloody and fleshless as Hannibal's, tearing off his jacket and shirt,ripping the fabric and creating a makeshift bandage for Will's gunshot wound. Wrapping the bindings about Will's body and setting to work on the chains,torn between helping Hannibal and trying to save Will.

He figured Hannibal would suffice, hearing the sounds of bitter fighting in the distance. The very distinct sound of Le Chiffre's arm breaking as Hannibal rolled atop of him,slamming it to the ground. Le Chiffre screamed,and Hannibal hissed in his ear.

'You're impetuous, you are a child. An overgrown child who can't get over being let down. I thought you were better than this. But all this has been is one giant tantrum, a tantrum you'll get nothing out of. You thought that if you did this you'd actually earn my love again? What were you expecting? A reunion?”

Le Chiffre grunted, rolling them over again, slamming Hannibal's head into the cement, not hard enough to do any significant damage,but enough to hurt. Stars danced in Hannibal's eyes,and Le Chiffre un holstered his gun once more with his good hand, pushing it squarely between Hannibal's eyes.

'I wanted you to live with the pain of everything you've done. I don't want your love,Hannibal. I wanted to destroy you, I wanted you too-” Le Chiffre was cut off,bright pain exploding in his shoulder as the bullet passed through it. Rolling off Hannibal in shock, he felt James' foot slamming into his stomach, disarming him and pushing the gun against his chest.

Behind them, Will stood on his knees, James shirt soaked through with blood, Basil's gun held in a shaking hand. Before anything else could register, Jack kicked in the door of the garage,light flooding the area as the entire SWAT team poured in. 'FBI,put your hands where we can see them!”

Will raised his eyes, smiling weakly and tossing the gun aside, crawling over to Hannibal and staring at him.

'Finally' he panted,letting his eyes close once more. Perhaps, he wondered,for the last time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Just some quick housekeeping notes. In earlier chapters I neglected to mention that Severine's officially part of MI-6.
> 
> *During Hannibal's reveals,you probably noticed a lack of Abigail and the encephalitis. I decided not to include them, I just had too much going on.
> 
> *Hardest chapter for me to write. Not even going to lie. Hopefully it turned out alright!


	13. Reconciliation

The moments following Will's final collapse all passed in a bit of a blur for Hannibal. Jack called off the SWAT team and demanded they pass for the ensuing team of medics that poured in. Hannibal barely realized that he was clutching Will's body to his own chest until a couple of medics gently pried them apart, light but firm hands on his own shoulders, another pair lifting his arms by the elbows to gently free Will,soothing Hannibal with words he didn't bother paying attention too.

Nor did he pay a whole lot of attention to the two medics who lifted him to his feet,strapping him into a stretcher. They tried to ask him questions, checking over his vitals,needing a response, before eventually deciding amongst themselves that he was in shock. With that,they ceased talking, instead working on freeing him from his torn suit coat, shirt and vest, hooking him up to an IV and working to get him ready for the hospital. Hannibal did nothing but stare, gaze fixated on Will's body. Seeing past the four medics working on him, watching their every move until the doors of the ambulance closed to him,sirens on as they tore out of the garage.

Unable to see Will now, Hannibal instead forced himself to watch Jack cuffing Le Chiffre,hoisting him to his feet and chatting with a short, white haired female Hannibal didn't recognize. Straining his ears to listen to the conversation,catching Le Chiffre's gaze when he focused back on him,watching his brother through matted,sweaty black bangs, curling his lips into a sneer that melted into a genuine smile. Hannibal narrowed his eyes in return, ambulance doors shutting, his eyes never leaving the others until they pulled out. Leaning back,Hannibal closed his eyes, unable to fight the exhaustion that overrode his ability to think any longer.

In the garage, Le Chiffre twisted a little in his cuffs, replaying the site of Hannibal's tears and Will's anguished screams in his head,unable to fight a smirk. Beside him, a medic was hastily putting a temporary bandage on his gunshot wound,insisting to Jack that they couldn't leave it too long. Jack nodded in understanding, catching Le Chiffre's smirk, unable to know the cause. Crawford tossed him a disgusted look, glancing to the short woman who was appraising him, face a neutral line.

'This is your call, mam. After all,this is MI-6's mission' Jack informed her, glancing to M for a decision.

M walked closer to Le Chiffre,taking in the sight of him again before looking around the garage. On the one hand, the capture and eventual incarceration of Le Chiffre would be a noted victory for MI-6. On the other hand, Le Chiffre had done far more damage to the American's. Mostly on a personal level.

Perhaps,she could let someone else have the credit. Just this once.

'You can keep him. I think that he has done far more damage here than he's ever done to us. He's all yours,Agent Crawford”

Jack nodded, “Thank you Mam,much appreciated. Come,you” Guiding Le Chiffre to the car. M waited until she saw the back of his head before frowning, crooking a finger towards Severine, waiting until she had made her way to her side, gesturing towards the room in general with her head.

“Where's Bond?' she asked. Severine shuffled, looking around herself.

'I haven't seen him. Maybe he slipped out?”

M sighed. If Bond had chosen to escape, she knew they wouldn't find him until he wanted to be found. 

~~

One of the greatest things about chaos was that it allowed for a person to slip away undetected. Especially when everyone else was far too busy dealing with the important things. When the medics stormed through,Jack arresting Le Chiffre, EMT'S separating Will and Hannibal, getting them both off to treatment, it had been easy enough to roll his body just out of sight, past the lines of rubber hanging from the wall and through what was probably a staff washroom,climbing through the window and out into the street.

Silva was waiting, sitting cross legged on the hood of a busted Corvet,legs tucked underneath his knees,having been the only one that saw Bond slip away, the only one who was supposed to see him. Watching as James fell into a crouch,hissing as his torn ankles felt the vibration of gravity underneath him. Silva slid from the car's hood, putting a hand under James shoulders and forcing him to lay against the hood of the car.

'Let me see'

'It's fine, just a little skin damage' Bond protested, clenching his teeth when Silva brought his arms forward to rest on his stomach, picking up his limp right wrist and staring at James over the bloody knuckles.

'This is broken,James” watching the way James face contorted with the pain of it. Disliking Silva jerking the limb around.

“You try breaking free of a set of chains and see how amazing you look after the fact” James retorted. Silva huffed, helping Bond slide from the hood of the car, flagging down a taxi and helping him into the back of it, waiting for the driver to pull away from the curb before reaching for the broken limb, bringing his hands to James' pants, hands working their way through the belt.

James eyes narrowed suspiciously. 'Can't you wait until were out of the taxi at least before you start stripping me”

Silva huffed again. 'Please. Unfortunately for you,I've got something far more painful in mind, darling.' James blinked, watching as Silva brought the belt to his mouth. Paling in understanding.

'Come now, the longer you wait the worse this is going to be” James took a breath,opening his mouth obediently,biting down on the leather. Silva caressed the side of his face gently.

'Good boy. I'll go fast,alright? It's only temporary anyway” James just nodded around the leather,watching Silva make quick work of his own belt, laying his broken wrist in his lap,using one hand to align the bones as best as he could,working the belt underneath of it and glancing back up at James, bumping their noses together before he grasped the belt on either side, wrapping it around the wrist,against exposed,open flesh and tugging as hard as he could,pulling it taught.

James hissed,head tossing back as he left teeth marks against the leather, un shed tears busting behind closed eyes. Silva was good to his word,wrapping the leather over each side until there wasn't any left, cutting the ends he couldn't wrap into smaller pieces and tying it, soothing Bond with a gentle hand through his hair.

'There there, it's done, it's all done' drawing the leather from Bond's mouth. 'It only has to last till we get to the hospital' James nodded, taking a few deep breaths before letting his head rest more peacefully on the head rest. 

“How did the FBI track us from the hotel?' James asked. Mostly to change the subject and less because he cared. 'I don't know when he took us out, he shot us up with something. Next thing I know I was waking up in that bloody garage” Silva grinned a little, pleased too have been useful.

'You're not that far from the Prince Albert, I'd say about..what twenty miles? When we got their the entire place was in flames,but I told Jack that if he had Hannibal's phone number then it'd be pretty easy to track it's signal. Naturally, Le Chiffre had smashed and dumped it, but the bin he'd tossed it in was actually only a block from the garage'

James snickered. 'Once you were close enough you would have heard the screams at least?” Silva nodded. 'Even though he smashed the phone,we got a signal. Smashing it didn't break it apparently”

'Was it a Nokia?” Silva snorted.

“Sony,actually'

'Good enough,so why the delay?' Turning his eyes, he saw Silva huffing. 'A train”

'You're serious”

'Unfortunately'

'Detour?”

“We found one,yes'

James had more questions,but the cab driver informed him that they were at the hospital. Nodding, he looked at Silva.

'I hate to ask,but will you get my wallet?” Silva grinned.

'Don't you keep your wallet in your back pocket?'

James rolled himself up a bit. 'Yeah have fun”

Reaching into the back of his pocket, Silva grinned, letting his hand trail against the muscle of Bond's ass for a moment. “I will,thanks” James snorted, waiting for Silva to pay the man, shivering when Silva's fingers lingered a fraction to long upon returning the wallet to his pocket. Thanking the driver, he helped James out of the vehicle,guiding him through the doors of the hospital. 

They didn't have to wait long, James pretty much left a trail of blood wherever he stood, the nurse glanced at Silva, gesturing to a bench, but James held up a hand.

'No. He stays' The nurse blinked a bit, apparently understanding.

'Right,of course,sorry I didn't think. My apologies,right this way,please” Leading them into a room. Silva gripped his elbow,unable to stop staring at him, confused for the first time in a long time.

'Are you sure?” he asked,softly. Sounding so wholly unlike himself that James couldn't stop from turning,silencing him with his own mouth, swallowing all of his own confusion and doubt.

'Yes. I am sure. I'm not always sure about a lot of things,but I'm sure about this,alright?”

Silva blinked a little, only moving at the insistence of the nurse, watching as she guided James to a bed and started working instantly on his various wounds. The fell silently, James closing his eyes and mostly tuning her out,fighting the exhaustion that fought to claim him now that he was on a bed. Silva kept quiet,wanting him to rest.

What felt like hours (but really was less than hour) later, the nurse stepped back,appraising her work. James had heavy bandages on both of his ankles and left wrist, a small but stiff cast on his right. His chest was decorated with dressings, and she was rambling on about proper hydration and bed rest for at least a week. The thought made Silva chuckle, and he met James amused blue eyes over on the bed, the two of them silently sharing a quiet,private laugh. Both of them knowing he'd be up in a day or two.

'I would advise he stay here on an IV to get properly hydrated,but-”

'I'll take him home. I can take care of him' The nurse sighed, glancing between the two. She knew stubborn patients when she saw them and this was going to be no different,of that she was sure. 

'Keep an eye on him then, especially his head. We can't rule out the possibility of a concussion' Silva nodded,holding out his arm for James, tucking him under it. 

'Of course, come James,lets get back home” Of course home was a hotel room,but the nurse didn't need to be made aware of that. 

Lazily,James let Silva guide him from the hospital, mind blissfully blank with the idea of going home to a nice,soft bed.

~~

Hospitals were a bleak thing, white and sterile. Oppressive. Hostile without even being violent really. Hannibal actively tried to avoid hospitals at all costs. Preferring private physicians in the comfort of his own home,where he could analyze every move that went on around him.

Of course,there were times where such luxury just wasn't possible. Resting in a wheelchair, studying Will's medically induced sleeping form, he considered his options. They had put Will in a sort of coma, insisting that it would the best to get his vitals back in order. A couple days of healing sleep,so to speak. Hannibal couldn't possibly disagree with the assessment. He also didn't know how long he could linger, it was entirely possible that the British Agent,Bond would try to turn him in. Cringing mentally at the thought of having to interfere should he wish to do so. 

Wasn't ready for prison yet. But,he was preparing himself to live without Will Graham. Distance himself from the FBI. Perhaps relocate,should the situation call for that. It was strange to find himself caring so deeply for another _person_. Too have,for the first time in a long time, another individual being placed high enough up in his own social ladder to warrant keeping around, warrant sparing from pain,should he be able too.

Le Chiffre had actively vowed to destroy that, Hannibal blind to how damaged he'd left his younger sibling when he'd broken their contact to head for America. But it couldn't be helped. Least,that's how Hannibal had seen it. Over their time together, Le Chiffre had been continually driven by dark impulses, by his own drive. It not only made him reckless,but headstrong. No amount of teaching form Hannibal had been able to convince him otherwise. In fact,the longer they spent together,the more haphazard and reckless Le Chiffre had become,until finally he was as much a risk to Hannibal as he was to himself.

_'Why are you so insistent on leaving?” Livy whined at him, grabbing for Hannibal's arm yet again. 'You keep brushing me off, denying me. You can't pretend like nothing ever happened, just leave me here to clean up your mess!' His voice had increased in pitch and tempo with each word; and he was actively shouting now._

_Hannibal shoved his arm to the side, calmly placing another shirt in his suitcase. 'Leave me be, I told you,I've a flight to catch” Livy retreated,folding his arms over his chest._

_'They're going to find the body,you didn't bother to properly hide her this time' Hannibal whirled, snarling a little._

_**'You** are the one who didn't bother to hide them,Livy. I told you not to kill her. I told you she didn't belong on the plate. She wasn't rude she wasn't offensive. You are the one who couldn't help yourself. Should the police catch you that's hardly my problem. It's your own doing that you gave into such urges. Just because she was pretty,and you wanted to hear something so beautiful scream”_

_Livy growled at him, throwing a punch to Hannibal's face that he deflected easily, gripping his fist and pushing him outwards. “What difference does it make?” Livy snarled. 'You still get what you want,your precious,precious meat. What do you care where it comes from?” Hannibal felt his eyes darkening, reaching for the hunting knife he was about to put in his suitcase._

_“Difference? Difference?' he hissed, feeling anger and disappointment rising in his chest. How he had wanted such better things for Livy,yet Livy had never been able to elevate himself beyond the petty. The little,the basic. He wasn't what he'd tried to make him. A failure if there ever was one. Not that this was a fair assessment of the world,or even how real relationships functioned. But Hannibal didn't see it that way,never had. Hannibal's world existed on a scale,if you didn't fit, then that was simply your own miss givings and faults. Things Hannibal didn't have time for._

_He rounded on Livy,knife raised; “The difference is in the meat,Livy. You've never understood it,you focus on the pain. The screams, the shouts. Missing the point entirely.' Livy had backed up, inherently terrified of the monster pouring out of his brother. One he'd seen so many times before,just never directed at him._

_'I could kill you now, but what good would that do? I've a flight to catch' he sprang, Livy shrieked and squeezed his eyes shut,feeling the blade drag roughly down the closed lid, blood flowing freely from the shredded skin as Hannibal backed up, wiping the knife clean with his pocket square and tossing it back in his suitcase,slamming the lid shut._

_'Consider that a reminder of your own foolishness. Good Bye, Livy” The younger climbed off of the bed, but Hannibal was already making his way down the stairs, running a hand through his hair to slick the locks back._

_'You're going to regret this,Hannibal!' Livy shouted, pushing his fingers against his eye in a pitiful attempt to staunch the bleeding. 'Not all of your problems can be buried in sand!”_

“Hannibal?” Blinking, Hannibal shook himself, turning his head a little,hands folded neatly on the blanket. Had he been crying again? He sincerely hoped not. Didn't need Jack to see him looking so weak and defeated. Jack smiled, taking a seat on the edge of Will's bed.

'I won't keep you, I know you must be tired, Doctor. But I need to get some things out of the way,can you do that?”

'I will en devour to answer the vast multitude of questions I'm certain you are currently unable to resist asking. Yes' Hannibal replied, wheeling himself a little closer to Will's bed, taking his hand and laying it in his lap, trying to drive warmth back into Will's body with the touch. Jack nodded,clearing his throat a little. 

'Thank you. Mostly I just want to know what you remember, and why you lied to us about this” Reaching into his satchel,Jack pulled forth the year book M had given him,not missing the way the doctors eyes narrowed at the sight. He heard Hannibal sigh,sounding so weary Jack momentarily hated himself.

“I try to forget the relationship I once might have had with my headstrong younger sibling,Agent Crawford. When I heard of his return, I couldn't bring myself to admit how well I had once known him,seeing what he'd become. It's hard to imagine ones own flesh and blood turning out so depraved and destructive. I shouldn't have lied to you,but I thought it would be inconsequential, in the long run. I apologize if it hindered the progress of the investigation at all”

Jack frowned,looking down at the book. Dr Lecter's over all sentiment made sense, though. “I did not. But next time,should that ever happen. Do be a little more forth coming. You never know what might be useful' Standing, Jack cast a glance to Will,looking openly sad for the first time in all of Lecter's knowing of the man.

'Get some rest, Doctor. I'll be back tomorrow' Hannibal nodded,watching Jack leave. Waiting until he'd shut the door before glancing down to Will. With great effort,he lifted himself from the chair,running a hand across Will's brow, bringing his lips too it. 

“I know you can't hear me, even if you did I doubt you'd believe me. But I care about you,Will. It's a curious sensation, a feeling I'm not at all familiar with. Something about you, whether it's your potential, the fact that you're so profoundly out of control, so needy. I don't honestly know. What I do know,with complete honesty, is that you mean something to me. I never wanted for it to turn out this way. Perhaps, Le Chiffre, Livy call him whatever is suitable is right. Perhaps I don't deserve you. I certainly don't deserve love.' He took a breath,sitting back down in the wheelchair, holding tightly to Will's hand.

'Maybe that's what the fates have been telling me all along. After all, I can't make myself a victim, nor would I bother attempting to draw false pity I have no business asking for. I know who I am,I know what I do,and I am not sorry for it. When you wake, I'll be here. Know what ever decision you make,whether it's to hand me over,banish me from your heart and your soul. I'll let you decide,and I'd do exactly as you say. You deserve that much,why you deserve that and everything.' Kissing Will's hand gently,he let it go. Placing it back across Will's stomach, sighing softly. 'I'll be here”

Gripping the sides of his chair, Hannibal wheeled himself from the room, feeling cold all over despite the blanket covering him. 

~~

“Sponge bath,are you serious?” James asked, tipping his head back against the sink,hands folded over his chest. Silva snorted,running hot water over his hair, watching it stain the sink with crusty copper coloured pieces.

'Oh I'm sorry,would you rather sleep covered in blood and dirt?” he asked, running his hands through short gold locks, slowly working all the finer bits out. James chuckled, closing his eyes and letting the water warm him. 'Hmm. I guess your right” And he couldn't help but note that it felt nice, good to have his hair clean again.

'So..he's a cannibal,then?” James nodded,grimacing. 'Apparently'

'Are you going to let him go?”

'I've decided that's not my call. Will Graham works with the FBI, if he wants to,he can turn him in. But..I'm not going to get involved”

“You? Not get involved? Are their unicorns flying out the window now too?” Silva joked, craning his head a little to try and see out the bathroom door,delighting in the rumble that shook through James chest. 

'I do have some modicum of decency, Tiago' James reminded him, opening one eye in time to see the light blush that ran over Silva's cheeks at the name. 

“Do introduce me to it sometime'

'I just did”

“I guess I didn't notice” James snorted, letting Silva rinse his hair out, bringing his head up and toweling it dry. 

'Much better, now lay back” Silva ordered, watching James brace his arms on either side of the tub, waiting for Silva to take up the cloth again, grunting when it's warmth began scrubbing at his chest, working it's way carefully around the dressings.

'You're good at that, wonderful butler really”

'If you try to demote me to a butler,you're going to be quite sorry,Bond' James grinned,licking his tongue across his lips, Silva unable to resist chasing it, leaning over the tub to snag it with his teeth, bring it into his mouth,laving over it for a moment. Feeling James push a hand into his hair and tug,drawing him closer. 

Maybe he'd been trying too hard. James thought, tugging lightly on blonde strands,hearing Silva's groan in his own ear, his firm hand letting the cloth drop, bare fingers trailing down the length of his abdomen, grunting when he felt Silva take him in hand, working him up without his own body even knowing that he'd wanted it.

'Tiago, you don't...' he paused, trying to think of a good way to explain himself. His own hands slightly useless, mouth not so much. But it was more energy. Silva shushed him, trailing his tongue down his chin, moving his hand up and then down,graceful,even.

'For a man who tries so hard not to care, you tend to ignore how deep your own heart really is, James' e moved himself a little, letting his hand work the base and the tip, a maddeningly slow pace. James chuckled,though it came out breathless,too tired even to arch back with him. Silva didn't seem to mind,if anything,he was enjoying doing all the work, watching the tension slowly ebb from each knot in James body,becoming more languid with every caress,each fine,gentle stroke.

“I know it hurts you. Every time you complete a mission. I know the dead look behind your eyes for what it really is. You feel regret even though you tell yourself not too. Your passionate and cold, dissonant by conditioning,not by choice'

'Thank you so much,Dr Rodriguez' James panted, swallowing the lump forming in his throat. Silva laughed quietly, dragging his tongue across James' lips.

“I'm only stating truth for what it is. Just because you have to be a certain way,doesn't mean you can't let yourself go. You deserve peace as much as anyone,James' James grunted at him, feeling himself tense under Silva's hand, batting his own tongue against the one on his lips. 

'Sure you're up to filling that void?” he asked, feeling sweat beading across his own skin. Silva smiled,tightening his hand.

'Who else is even able too?” he asked.

'Narcissist' James grunted, huffing as he felt himself release against Silva's hand, panting shallowly as he came down from the high, staring at Silva's calm face.

'You wouldn't have me any other way' James chuckled, because, it was true.

He really wouldn't.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * James biting on the belt is an extremely old medical trick,dating back to war times from at least the 17th century or so. When amputations were done, or other medical deeds, the 'surgeon' would give the patient alcohol (if they had it) to make the patient hazy and force them to clench their teeth on some sort of firm leather bit. This would help to decrease the pain,or at least make it more bearable. Like squeezing someone's hand when you're in agony,kind of deal.
> 
> *Why yes,I did include lame cellphone jokes. Judge me
> 
> *This is probably going to have two more chapters,we are nearing the end. Expect updates to come pretty quick. I want to finish this by tomorrow at least,before I'm on short hiatus for my dental surgery. (I don't do well on drugs. XD) I've already got the ending of this all plotted out, just needs to be written.
> 
> Thank you all once again,for sharing in this journey with me!


	14. Evolution

Time passed.

People came, people went. Some stayed a few hours, others, only moments. Hannibal and Will alike had a steady enough stream of visitors. Mostly Jack and Alana. Beverly came by to see Will often,and even Price and Zeller made a couple visits to check in on Will's progress. 

M and Severine left for England four days following the arrest of Le Chiffre, though Severine had made a point of stopping by James' hotel room (not at all surprised to see that he was sharing it with Silva, for what looked like permanently. M had begrudgingly let James keep him, insisting that she knew nothing about it).

'Are you sure you don't want to come back with us?' Severine asked, glancing at the lingering Silva,who was keeping his distance out of respect for her.

James spread his arm out against the arm rest of the couch, shrugging lightly at her.

'I've been given leave for a little while. At least long enough to heal properly. I'd like to stay long enough to see Agent Graham wake' Severine chuckled, letting her hands comb through her thick hair.

'Not feeling sentimental are we now James?” she joked,watching him laugh in return.

'Perhaps,don't be telling anyone though' leaning over to reach behind the couch,putting a deliberate hand over Silva's lips. Severine laughed, bending at the waist and kissing his cheek. “Your secret is safe with me' she promised,straightening up. “See you then' James waved as she left, shaking his head a little. She never was one for lingering good bye's. 

Jumping over the back of the couch once the hotel room door shut, Silva crouched,cat like, peering at James startled face.

'More whiskey?' he asked,pointing to the glass. Laughing, James held the tumbler out, sliding his left wrist behind his head.

“When have you ever known me to say no to that?”

Hannibal was released from the hospital the day after M and Severine's departure from American soil, opening the door of his house, he glanced around, finding the air heavy around him. By his quick calculations, he had spent eight days in the hospital, and about two or three (he wasn't sure) in Le Chiffre's care. Almost two weeks since he'd set foot in the place,and now, he didn't quite know what to do. 

Hanging his coat up in the closet, he dragged a finger over some dust that was lingering on the top shelf,reminding him that he needed to clean. That he had to move on. The hospital promised to call him when Will awoke, there wasn't much more that he could do, for now,anyway. Yet, for the first time in a long time, he found himself contemplating his future. Especially since he had never considered that he would one day actively be making plans to have one with someone other than himself. But Will provided those opportunities.

Should Will still accept him when he woke,of course.

Sliding out of his shoes, Hannibal flicked on the hall light, about to head for his kitchen, the one true place where he was Master, when he felt his nose twitch. Picking up a scent that was faint,but strong. One he wasn't entirely accustomed too,but had been forced to get used too. Funny, he never imagined it would be so easy to break in to his house. Perhaps he would need to upgrade the security system. Once all was said and done.

'Agent Bond” he greeted his invader. A little tersely. Never was fond of people invading his personal space without permission. It was most rude.

Sometimes,he just had to allot for exceptions.

“Dr Lecter' Bond greeted back, sitting casually atop the counter. Hannibal mentally counted to ten,reminding himself that he could not in fact, serve up James Bond as his next main course. “Hope you don't mind, I heard you were getting released today, and felt we needed to have a little..' he paused, glancing around the kitchen. 'chat'

Hannibal eyed him,stepping closer into the kitchen, wiping the arms of his brown and blue plaid suit to give his hands something to do that didn't involve wrapping around Bond's throat. “I would have preferred you'd call first, but no, I do not exactly mind it”

'I was worried that if I called ahead you'd never come home” Hannibal raised an eye and James jumped off the counter, thankfully.

“I would not have felt threatened by it. I am under the impression that if you were going to turn me in, then you would have already made such efforts to do so by now. In which case I would be behind bars in some seedy little cell than having a conversation with you in the comfort of my kitchen' Though he was surprised that James was able to even set foot in here.

'You didn't feed me beef that night, did you” Hannibal grinned.

'I did. It just did not necessarily come from a cow' James grunted, rubbing his temples. Hannibal had to admit he was a little taken off guard by how sedate Bond was about it. 

“I guess it beats some of the stuff I've been fed elsewhere. I'm hardly a layman, after all,Doctor Lecter” Hannibal chuckled.

'Unless you really were here to double check the content of your meat, why have you come, Agent Bond? If not to arrest me”

'Will Graham”

'Ah. Of course. You don't seem to be the type who follows after individual pursuits'

'Normally no, consider Will the exception to the rule. After all,looks like he's used to being that” Hannibal's eyes narrowed,arms finally dropping to his sides.

“Agent Bond, if I wanted Will Graham dead,he would be dead already. But you already knew that,didn't you?” Bond sighed,head falling forward on his chest. 'No. That I know, but I also know that your going to leave him, should he say no” Hannibal blinked, walking around James to his fridge, pulling out a bottle of dark red wine. 

'Drink?” Bond turned,glancing at the bottle in Lecter's hand. 

'Sure. Thanks”

Hannibal set to work,quickly pouring the wine, 'I think,Agent Bond,that it would be most unfair too him should he not wish to see me again, to force my presence upon him. Wouldn't you?” holding a glass out to James,which he took greatfuly.

'If I believed that Will was the type of person who was capable of making such decisions himself,certainly. But Will doesn't know what he want's does he?” Hannibal blinked, letting the aroma of the wine waft up to his nose before he spoke.

'Will Graham is lost so far in the depths of his own head that,often times, he doesn't know who he is, Agent Bond' Taking a generous sip of his wine that was dainty all the same. James sighed. 

'You know, were this anyone else, I'd tell them to hold on and never let go. You of all people know that life is finite, Dr Lecter. Hell,half the time you might actually be the reason life is finite. That's neither here nor there. I can let some truly questionable things slide,in my eyes.” Looking down into the swirling purple liquid in his crystal glass, Bond watched the way it moved, staring down at his own reflection. “But this isn't anyone else,is it?”

'I'm afraid not'

“If Will wants to turn you in,then that ends here. If he doesn't? And if,for some reason he manages to forgive the trespass against him?” James looked up, staring plainly at Hannibal. 'Don't ever let him go. Love doesn't come without sacrifice, and if you sacrifice without gain, you'll never be the same again. There are some thing we can't afford to lose. And I have a feeling that Will Graham needs you more than he'll ever be able to admit”

Hannibal took another sip, taking the moment to think over the words. Of course,what Bond couldn't know that most of Will's neediness was his own doing. But a lot of it was also purely Will. Something that had existed long before Hannibal had come along. Hannibal having coaxed it out with tempting offers,forcing Will to accept it. Embrace it. Only then would he be able to recover from it. But the steps to acknowledging it had been Hannibal's doing. For the best, of course. Will had never been happier.

Could he really let it all go now? Especially when he saw how well his methods worked on the young agent? How much better he was for it?

Would Will let him have that choice?

Finally, he said,

'Are we not speaking prematurely Agent Bond? Should the choice not be left entirely,as I said, to Will Graham” James chuckled,finally taking a sip of the wine, letting out a little groan of appreciation at the taste. That particular half moan Hannibal loved inducing in people. A noise only brought about by the finiest of foods and drinks.

A sound, he realized,with a slight pang, that he'd missed hearing from Will.

“Indeed we are. I guess I just found myself in the unique position of caring for someone else's welfare” Swallowing all of his wine in a single gulp Hannibal actively fought to ignore, James placed his glass on the counter top.

“Think on it, Dr Lecter. Just..think on it” Hannibal stared, watching as James turned around, heading out the door. Hannibal walked to the curtain,watching James climb into the passenger seat of a rental car. Another Maybatch 62 Sedan, ironically enough. Waiting until the car pulled out of sight before he turned,pulling out his cellphone.

'Yes Agent Crawford, Dr Lecter here. Where are Will's dogs currently being held?”

~~ Two Days Later~~

_“What are you thinking about,Will?” Hannibal asked, letting his hand run through Will's short locks, looking down to where it was pillowed on his thigh, Hannibal having been scrolling through appointment notes on his Ipad while Will rested, until Hannibal noticed that Will had grown increasingly restless against him. Will huffed,staring up at the ceiling._

_'Nothing important”_

_'Everything you think is important,Will' Hannibal gently reminded, forcing Will to remember that he was significant,that he was a person who deserved to be cared about and cared for._

_'It makes me uncomfortable to think about' Will mumbled, turning his head so that he was facing the fireplace,instead of the ceiling, instead of Hannibal._

_Hannibal frowned,covering up the Ipad and setting it aside on the table. 'Why does it make you uncomfortable,Will?”_

_Will tensed against him, only relaxing when Hannibal ran a gentle hand down his side. “I...feel like the only time I'm really at peace is when I force myself to let go.” his voice was so quiet,it was almost a whisper. They'd gone through two bottles of wine themselves that night,and Hannibal wondered if the influx of wine had made his tongue loose._

_'Oh?” Hannibal asked, nudging Will insistently,forcing himself to roll over. As suspected,Will's eyes were closed, tight. Shutting out the reality,the truth._

_“What do you mean,'let go' Will?” Will shook his head,biting down on his lip. Hannibal was torn between wanting to cuddle Will and never let go, and chopping him up into pieces,rebuilding him in front of a mirror, forcing himself to see and accept._

_He'd feel so much better for it._

_“Listen to them. Listen to the voices that tell me it's okay. I want to do good in the world, but I also want to..'_

_'Yes?”_

_'Too be free” his voice was so small that Hannibal could barely here it,and for a moment he had to wonder if he'd even heard it at all._

_Will trembled against him, head shaking as Hannibal's arm went across his chest,holding him steady. Bending his head down, he whispered softly._

_'Oh dear Will. Don't you see? You can have both”_

Will's eyes flew open, only to close a second later at the uncomfortable brightness, the even more uncomfortable sensation of something down his throat,choking him. Gasping and gagging, he pulled at the tape around his mouth, forcing himself into a sitting position, yanking the tube out with both hands,tossing it aside. A nurse entered the room seconds later, trying to calm him down. Explain to him where he was and what was currently happening.

Will didn't care about that. It was inconsequential, unnecessary information taking up space in his mind. Filling it with things he didn't need to know or cared about. All he wanted was one thing, a person who currently didn't appear to be here.

'Where's Hannibal?” he croaked out,interrupting her. 

“Sir,you need to relax' Will pushed impatiently,restlessly at her arms.

“Dr Lecter. Where is he?” The nurse tossed him a pained look. “Sir please, you're just coming out of a coma, give yourself a moment to collect yourself and-”

'Get me Dr Hannibal Lecter,somebody is going to know where he is!”

In the hallway,another nurse heard the name,poking his head in.

“Dr Lecter? We released him days ago” Will took an exasperated breath.

“Get him back here! Give me a phone so I can call him myself, just get him too me' The nurses exchanged looks,the female one holding Will relenting.

'One moment, Sir” leaving the room with her colleague. Will sighed,leaning heavily against the pillows. He had to see Hannibal, the dream bouncing around in his brain like a ping pong ball. Unable to evacuate. Hannibal had to get here. No matter what he was,he was the only person who had answers these days. Perhaps the only one who had the answers all along. 

He showed up twenty minutes later, looking immaculate in his dark purple and black plaid suit, coat folded over his arm. Standing at the foot of Will's bed. Face neutral. The sight of him, impassive and blank; infuriated Will even though he didn't have the energy to muster any true sort of rage.

'I had a dream' Will greeted,breaking the dead silence. Hannibal raised his eyes to him.

'What sort of dream?” He asked,sounding wholly detached. Will clenched his fingers against the blanket of his hospital bed. 

'We were in your study' he gritted out. 'I told you that I only feel at peace when I let myself go,and you, you encouraged it. Encouraged it,even. I should have realized then what you were trying to do. Who you really were. Should have noticed that something was off,that something was up,and yet..”

'I only want what is best for you,Will' Hannibal explained,pushing the door closed with his fingers. 'That is all I have ever wanted” Will grit his teeth.

'Come here' he all but commanded, watching Hannibal make the five steps to the side of the bed, Will shuffling himself over so that Hannibal was forced to sit on the bed, forced to get close to him. 

'Why should I believe you?” he asked,watching Hannibal sit. Graceful as always. Long legs curling elegantly at the side. Hannibal glanced down to him.

“Because I am the only one who see's you. The only person who has always seen you. I see you for who you are,and what you are, and I can help you. I can take every part of you,cradle it in my hands and protect it” Will swallowed,fingering the fringe of his worn bedding. 'In return I become you” he muttered. 

'No. You are still you. Always still you. But this time you would be completely you. The way you are supposed to be. The time you spent with me was your happiest,Will. Do you really wish to relinquish that?”

'What if I turn you in?” Will muttered. “What if you're lying even now?” Hannibal shrugged, Will unable to help himself from watching his shoulders move with the effort of it. 

'If you turn me in then that is your choice, one I'll not take from you. I've got not reason to lie to you,Will, not anymore”

“You'd only run anyway' Will sighed. “You're not ready to be caught yet,are you?”

'No, I'm not. But I still wouldn't take the choice from you. You deserve better than that” Wil shuddered all over. Conflicted,but slightly alarmed to feel how he was already leaning towards Hannibal, feeling the tears in his eyes, squeezing the lids shut against them. Not yet ready to give up the only control he'd ever had for the first time in a long time.

Inside of himself,he felt a deep aching longing. The ache that was calling out for Hannibal to soothe it with his gentle words and his rough hands. Words Will had known were not fake because he knew they had no reason to be. Will Graham knew psychopaths, he knew sociopaths. Hannibal was neither. Hannial was some immense other being. One that he'd never been able to see, but still knew was there.

One that had given him everything. Made him feel good in his own skin, comfortable. Happy. Could he accept it? He worked for the law, was a lawman. Could he truly be that selfish? Know what was happening around him despite it all? Understand that Hannibal's logic made sense? Murder was still murder. Yet..

Yet non of the victims of the Ripper were every really reported missing. Some sure, but not many of them. Will could even recall interviewing the ex-girlfriend of one of their most recent Ripper victims. She was covered in bruises,hands over a swollen belly that was lined with cuts. By some miracle her child had not died despite the obvious trauma. She seemed far happier with her boyfriends death than upset, and the dark internal part of Will's own being that he'd forever been fighting against. A clawing being that Will couldn't drown. Not in drugs, not in whiskey,not in sex and not in denial. It was there. Would always be there.

Hannibal was the only person who could accept that.

“If I asked you to change,would you?' Will asked,even though he already knew the answer.

'I can't. But I would spare you from it” Will blinked at him.

'You'd run”

'I'd have no other choice' Will snarled, slamming his fists against the bedding. 'You'd leave like a like a piece of discarded clothing?”

'If you were to say you no longer want me in your life Will what other option would there be? I'd assume you'd want me to leave you at peace. I wouldn't want to burden you any further.' Will growled, tuning and grabbing the lapels of Hannibal's suit coat, and echo of weeks past.

'I don't know what I want,you're supposed to be the one inside my head! Because I can never get out. You're the one who's supposed to know,not me! Aren't you the one who's always saying you know me better than I know myself?' Hannibal took a breath,putting his hands on Will's wrists,massaging the skin there.

“I would only leave if you don't want me around, Will. But I think in your heart, you don't want to get rid of me. I can see you weighing the options,the choices. Considering your own morals while wanting to remain at my side. Fighting to find the place of peace. Especially since you know it exists” Hannibal drew their foreheads together. 'I only wanted to give the choice to you. I never seeked to upset you”

Will swallowed, staring into the maroon depths that had always managed to stare into his soul, wrapping what they found their in a comforting blanket. It's okay. They said. It's always okay. I'm here now,and I'm going to make it right.

What would Will do without that?

What could he do without it? Go back to what he had before? Go back to feeling so lost in his own head that he'd only wake screaming? With no one to hear him?

'Is a man like you even capable of love?” Will all but whispered,tipping his head automatically into Hannibal's hand,which took up residence in Will's curls, as if it belonged there.

'Some would say 'no' but I would be inclined to disagree' Will inhaled, turning and leaning his head into the crook of Hannibal's neck and shoulder. 

“You'll...you'll never let me go?” voice reverting to the whisper that it had so long ago, unable to see the dark flare in Hannibal's eyes. Hints of the predator hiding beneath the surface,though he could feel the sudden tightness Hannibal's arms around him.

'Never, Will. Never' Will took a deep,shuddering breath, because he believed it. More than he'd ever believed anything else in his life. Nodding his head, he worked one of his hands free from the coarse fabric of Hannibal's suit coat,lacing his fingers through Hannibal, appreciating their rough texture, almost as rough as his own.

He let go. Relaxing into the reassuring, firm warmth of Hannibal's chest, the pressing of lips against his forehead,comforting and strong.

~~The Following Day~~

“You won't have very long to speak, ten minutes at most. This is our busiest day,since it's the only day we allow visitors' the guard explained, leading Hannibal to the visiting quarters. 'That changes if they become permanent. But if their on trial?” the guard snorted. 'Ho boy,it's basically lawyer central,you know what I mean?”

'You need not worry,this won't take me long I assure you” The guard nodded,gesturing to the phone laying neatly in front of the bulletproof glass panel. 

'Alright then,if you'll just have a seat. Pick up the phone when you're ready to talk. Soon as you want to end the call, all you have to do is hang up. If there's a problem, bang on the door. But we've got cameras,so we'll be able to see if things get out of hand anyway'

Hannibal nodded,tucking his suit coat into his body,taking a seat in the uncomfortable plastic chair. 'Yes,thank you” the guard nodded, stepping out of the door. 'No problem” he closed the door. Hannibal waited till he heard the click, picking up the phone. 

'Hello,Livy' he greeted,when he saw that Le Chiffre had picked up his own phone. Livy snorted dryly. 'Hannibal, too what do I owe the pleasure of a visit from you? I must say I am far under dressed for being in your company'

Hannibal chuckled tonelessly into the receiver.

'I don't know,orange seems to be a most flattering colour on you' Le Chiffre sighed. 

'Look if you came here to gloat, then gloat. There's a nice comfy bed in my cell waiting for me and the most charming cellmate. They gave me some druggie,all he does is sleep. It's wonderful company,except when he tries to chase invisible fireflies'

'I don't feel at all sorry for you”

'I don't expect you too. I was stating a fact. He's actually quite adorable”

'It wasn't all your fault” Le Chiffre's eyes widened, though he hid it almost instantly. Hannibal continued.

'I had a lot of time to think, lying in bed. About what you did,about why you did it. I also had some time for my own reflection. I can't deny that it's basically my fault that you even got to the point where you are. A failure,yes. But mostly on my part rather than yours. So, I am sorry” 

Le Chiffre snorted.

'You deserved every second of what happened to you, I won't retract that” Hannibal shook his head.

'I was not expecting you to, Livy. I was merely giving you the peace you crave'

'Placating me, isn't it a bit late for that,Hannibal?”

'That's up to you”

Le Chiffre grinned, pushing his hand against the glass,pointing to Hannibal with his finger. Watching Hannibal's blank eyes, blank that is,to anybody who didn't know how to see past the veil.

'You'll carry the memory of how close everything came to falling apart with you for the rest of what is going to be a very short life. Enjoy your freedom while it lasts,Hannibal. Eventually you're going to end up exactly where I am, only they won't put you in one of these. Once they've found out what you've actually done? Oh no, they'll stick you in one of those hospitals. Prison hospitals, and you'll have doctors poking around inside your head for the rest of your days. Until you go mad from it”

Le Chiffre leaned back,smirking. 'It's the fate you've wrought,Hannibal'

Hannibal stared, watching Le Chiffre's face. Their eyes locked,briefly.

'Good bye,Livy”

'Good bye,Hannibal'

Hannibal hung up, rising from his chair perhaps a little too quickly, knocking on the door for the guard to release him from the room.

~~

Baltimore was a nice city. Lovely sky line, quiet streets. Will felt that he could see for miles from here. Away from the poking and prodding of nurses. The voices,the tears. How he couldn't wait to be out of here. Wishing Hannibal was here to talk too. At least provide him with some distraction, show him pictures of the heated,air conditioned two-story dog house he was building with the help of a private contractor. It was almost the size of a miniature apartment, Will had hardly believed the sight of it when he saw photos of it on Hannibal's Ipad. Proud of the creation and touched that Hannibal was going to such great lengths to accommodate the dogs. Especially since Will was pretty sure he wasn't all that fond of animals.

Hands folded in his lap, Will attempted again,to lament the loss of his home,but found that he wasn't all that burdened by it. The only thing that would really need replacing was his laptop,and he thought he over heard Hannibal talking about that already. Eager to provide for Will and bring him home. His new,permanent home with Hannibal. Instead, Will was far,far more troubled by the new nightmares in his mind. Le Chiffre looming over him like some manner of black demon,always unable to scream.

Will never felt so foolish in his life. So helpless. Useless. Walking right into the man's trap. His hands clenched on his blanket, the wheelchairs locks keeping him from moving as the memories plagued him. How close he'd really come to loosing everything. How he'd even briefly considered the idea that dying would be the truest release from the man's grip.

_'Pathetic”_ he spat,growling lightly.

'Who's pathetic now?” Will blinked,turning his head around, surprised to see that Agent Bond had joined him on the roof, dressed casually in a pair of dark black jeans and a red dress shirt that was unbuttoned at the top.

“Who else” Will snorted,staring back at the skyline,hiding his face from what he assumed would be a judgmental expression.

Instead,James walked closer. “Not a good idea to be hanging out on a roof in a wheelchair' James pointed out,hearing Will snort.

'I've got the breaks on” James chuckled, taking a seat on the roofs ledge. 

'Listen, I don't believe in beating around the bush with things, so,I'll just come out and say it. You're not pathetic, Will.You're really not. You're still here. That says a lot'

Will snorted, staring deliberately at his lap. “Why do you say that” James braced himself with his arms behind his back.

'Because in case it's slipped your mind, and if it has, I'll understand,I'm the only person alive right now who knows how you feel. I know exactly what it's like to be a pawn in Le Chiffre's hands. As mundane as it might be, I know how you feel.After all”

Will swallowed. He had forgotten, Bond reminding him now made him feel negligent.

“I just don't ever want to be that helpless again. That useless, that..that..' he paused, taking another breath. 'That..unmaned,ever again' James stood then, turning and crouching in front of Will.

For a moment, he just stated at him, before he smiled in an oddly crooked way that Will found made him much easier to relate too. 

“Will'

“What?” Will asked, eyes darting around,jumping in their sockets.

'You were never,nor will you ever,be any of those things. You are still a man, Will. And a damned good one too. The fact that you are sitting here now, in front of me proves that much. The fact that you and I are still here,still fighting, further proves that regardless of what Le Chiffre tried to do, he has no won, we have”

Will blinked, looking back down at his blanket.

'Nothing changes the fact that I walked right into his trap, still let it happen”

“Yeah? So did I. You don't actually think I'm better than you,do you?” Will snorted.

'Of course. You're what agents are supposed to be. Confident,pragmatic, stable”

“If you think I'm stable, then you are definitely looking at the wrong man. Though,if I do have a twin I'd love to meet him,see if I'm sexier than he is” Will chuckled, in spite of himself. 

“Look, Will. The point is, that regardless of what Le Chiffre tried to do, what he tried to destroy, whatever methods he used, or how bad he made you feel? It didn't work. You are still here,and you are still you. Never helpless. Everyone see's you as this breakable little teacup, but I'm inclined to disagree. I say your a mug, at least. You know, a good,strong,sturdy mug'

Will snorted graceless, true,genuine laughter falling through.

'And why,pray tell,have I been elevated to mug status in your eyes,Agent Bond?” he asked, amused and relaxed.

James grinned, clapping a hand on his shoulder.

'Because,Will. You always were, too me”

Will couldn't think of a response to that, and yet,some how, he believed him. Believed the words Agent Bond was saying. The truth of them sinking into his mind,his soul.

He really,truly, believed him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *I'm writing this late at night,my hands are exhausted. Hopefully there's not too many errors that are overly obvious. These guys just won't leave me be! XD. I don't mind, I do have such fun writing them.
> 
> *Only one more chapter left, I can't tell you all what an amazing journey this has been. There will be plenty more authors notes in that chapter, when my hands are not about to detach from my wrists. Thank you all for riding this amazing wave with me.


	15. Epitome

~~ One Month Later~~

London, England.

“Tell me that you have a decent shot of this guy!” James all but bellowed into his ear piece, clinging with one hand to the top of the suspension bridge. A nice long way to the ground awaited him and he, not for the first time, wondered why all the height fiends decided to come to him. Swinging his body to the left, he heard M's response in his ear.

“He's still on the radar,he couldn't have gone far. Try the road of the bridge' sighing, James gripped the metal beams, climbing atop of it and starting to climb his way down to towards the other side,seeing that the man was now on a motorcycle. 

'Gotta hitch a ride, one second” climbing down a little further, he waited till he was in better sight, sprinting off of the metal and landing on the top of a bus, gripping the sides of it with his body and watching the motorcycle a few feet away. Standing on his feet, he swayed a little, jumping off the bus and onto a Volkswagen,before finally getting close enough to the motorcycle to grab the back of it, wrapping his arms around the waist of the man and tugging him off the bike, rolling into the curb of the bridge.

Cars honked around them as the bike flew over their heads, crashing into the side of the bridge. James flattened himself and waited for it to stop moving, pushing his arm against the neck of the guy to keep him still, finally deciding to substitute with his foot when he wouldn't stop squirming.

“Got him' Hoisting the man to his feet and starting to walk off the bridge with him, huffing a little as he gave a quick glance to his clothes. 

“Must you always make such a mess of things?” M retorted in his ear.

'You want a clean pick up? Call a garbage man” M sighed, in return.

'Just drop him off and get out of my sight for the day' James grinned, handing the man over to the other agents waiting at the end of the road. 

'Always a pleasure doing business with you M” clicking off his ear piece and waving at the others. 'He's all yours, ciao!'

The other two agents rolled their eyes in his general direction, James unable to bring himself to care,throwing open the door of the replacement Aston Martin Silva had helped him track down, waving as he drove away from the site.

Silva had been something like a whirlwind in the last month, after they'd left America (Hannibal and Will having given them a nice send off at the airport, some kind of dessert Hannibal had cooked up sneaked into Bond's luggage) James had almost immediately been summoned to M's office to discuss the situation. For all the time he'd been in their prison, he'd been a model prisoner, and M noted how much less of a threat he was when he was around James.

'If nothing else,he's proved himself useful and cooperative when in the right hands” She'd said. 'As far as the authorities are concerned, he's in capable hands..' she had paused, watching James smirk sardonically at her. Getting an exasperated eye roll in return.

'Oh, behave you. Go on,get out' James' had left, feeling oddly elated.

Now, driving home, he took a moment to reflect on the changes that were still being made to his flat. Silva having complained that his spartan lifestyle was hardly conducive to, well,everything. 

Pulling into the driveway,he pushed open the front door,glancing towards the various computer monitors and television screens.

'You home, Tiago?” he called out, shutting the front door behind him. Seeing the top of Silva's head poke up from one of his screens, hair slightly mussed from where he'd been running his hand through it.

“Nice form today, remind me to start attaching a bungee cord to your suits' James snorted, grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge,unbuttoning his sweaty shirt with one hand. Walking over to the screen, he watched the replay over Silva's shoulder.

'Not my fault he decided to get up on the bridge” Silva laughed quietly,shaking his head. “I don't suppose you'd ever consider a cubicle?”

Bond put a hand over his heart, making a fake gasping sound.

“A cubicle? Pray it isn't so' Silva snorted, turning around in his chair, bending James over the couch. 

'Mhm, a nice little cubicle, with family portraits, a cat statue, silly calendar with kids birthdays on it..”

James squeezed his eyes shut, pretending to faint. 

'Someone call a doctor I think I'm in a nightmare' Silva laughed, pushing James further onto the couch.

“And even better, I'd get you a pocket protector”

James pretended to pass out.

~~

Baltimore, Maryland.

A month after being released from the hospital and Special Agent Will Graham was on top of his game. His classes had seen an increase in students, he caught two killers within a week, he hadn't woken up sweating and panting in a long time, his dogs were happy and even Jack and Alana commented on how he twitched around less.

Oh, he was still just as squirrel like as before, but he was confident about it. Strong. Channeling his empathy like a weapon. Jack had even been talking with the head of the Department about getting the “Special' title taken off of Will's status. Leaving him as just 'Agent”. Everything came so much easier, with such clarity that Will didn't even have to give it much thought. The scent potent and strong.

Once he had a lead on something,he could channel it, follow it. Taking him exactly where he needed to be. It made him successful. Strong, he couldn't remember a time before this when he'd felt so comfortable in his own skin that he had no issue with sliding into another's. The dissonance between who he was and who he wasn't completely separated. Like a black bar, almost.

Decisive, coherent. Sturdy.

Serenity was never a place in his mind that he thought he could achieve, but lately,he felt that he'd actually come close to some level of it. A reality that was almost as shocking as the thought once had been.

Of course, that's not to say it didn't take a certain amount of ladder climbing to get there. Yet it'd been worth it, in the end.

'You're losing focus again,Will' Hannibal gently chided him, dragging Will from his thoughts,bringing him back to the present. Back to his hands buried to the wrist in the body beneath the two of them, Hannibal a firm,strong presence behind him. Steady hands on his elbows, guiding his own. 

Clothes long forgotten. Why dirty them? Their victim,Hannibal's victim, his prey, was already dead.

Don't have to hide from what can no longer see.

“There you are, where did you wander off too?” he asked, dragging one hand from Will's elbow and up to his hair. Will chuckled, tipping his head back into the gentle caress, letting out a little hum of appreciation at the gesture.

'Nowhere far, was just thinking,is all' Hannibal chuckled, sliding his free hand down into the ribcage of the man, sliding his fingers over Will's enclosing just under bone. 

'Focus. Gently now. We don't want to pull too hard. Test them first,before we waste energy splitting the ribs.' Will nodded,compressing the lungs with two of his fingers,mimicking Hannibal's movements. 'I thought you didn't want the lungs” Will asked, sliding his hand out and spinning around in Hannibal's arms, chuckling when he felt teeth nipping their way down his neck.

'I don't, really. He was a smoker. But you need to learn,after all' Will snorted, sliding a bloody hand to Hannibal's hip, coaxing his leg to come up around his own waist, dragging Hannibal against his aroused front, biting the tip of his nose.

'What if I want to learn a different lesson,hmm?”

Hannibal chuckled darkly, grunting a little when Will wrapped a hand around them, gently turning Will back around.

'Heart first' Will pretended to sigh, shuddering when Hannibal wrapped his entire body back around Will's,feeling the heat radiating from him. Raising his flesh and warming it. Together,their joined hands sank back in, blood pooling as they felt around the chest cavity, finding the heart. Will took a breath,pushing his hands around the muscle,wrapping it in his palms. Cradling it.

“Do you feel it Will?” Hannibal asked, his lips so close to Will's ear that he could practically feel the unique tone of each syllable as it rolled from his mouth. “How strong it is? Feel the life that once was held in your hands?”

He did, it was empowering, like a force held within his own two hands, Hannibal's hands moved lower, cupping him gently, over the pulsing,interested flesh. Will hissed,feeling the blood of it, warm. Throbbing in Hannibal's hands.

'Lift it now, gently,that's it” Will shivered, hard to think. But he did as he was told, giving just the right amount of tugging, dragging it just so under the ribcage, feeling it drag against the bones a little. “Shit. I'm sorry' Will muttered,watching as the heart tore a little. Hannibal made a light tutting sound, kissing the shell of Will's ear.

“Try pushing downwards a little next time, Will” Hannibal coached, letting Will turn him around, pushing him down against the opposite table, his own leg hooking around Will's waist. Smirking when he saw just how close to losing himself Will really was.

“My apologies, but it's hard to think when you do that” Will insisted, Hannibal gave him and amused smile, only feeling it falter for a moment when Will's hand disappeared between them,breaching him,opening him. Hannibal fixated his gaze on Will, not used to letting someone else have control. Own him,possess him.

As always,Will was the exception to the rule, the sensation oddly pleasant.

'The heater, Will' Will shot him an exasperated look,but Hannibal just chuckled, wrapping his hand around the back of Will's neck, dragging their foreheads together, tangling his tongue against Will's, swallowing his own hiss when his fingers moved just right inside of him.

Bringing the heart forward, Will placed it on Hannibal's chest, catching the amused grin Hannibal cast him,not seeming to mind being a makeshift table. Drawing his fingers free, he paused for a moment, replacing them with the much fuller weight of his own hardness, not missing the slight twitch it drew from Hannibal.

“You're not used to this at all,are you?' Will asked, pushing the heart to the side to better focus on Hannibal. They could heat it up later,he was far more entertained by the way Hannibal's chest, soaked red was rising and falling. How desperately he was keeping himself held in check.

'Let it go' Will muttered. 'You're always telling me it's okay, afford yourself the same right” Hannibal chuckled, huffing a little.

'You miss understand me,dear Will' He insisted, nudging on Will's sides with his legs,coaxing him to move. It was nice, if only a little painful. But pain was good,pain kept you grounded. Let you know who you really were. Where you really were. Graham gave him a confused look but Hannibal just shook his head, dragging his nails down Will's sides, drawing him closer, relishing in the shiver his hands brought about in the smaller man, the way he twitched within him.

“Worry yourself not, come now. Why do you hold back even now?” Will grinned, drawing back, just slightly out, and then back in, hands clutching the sides of Hannibal's hips, holding him flush, nails creating slight rivulets in the flesh. Hannibal lifted himself, letting out a dark,breathlessly little moan that surprised even him.

'That's it,Will' he panted, strong arms wrapped about Will's back.

'That's it'

~~

The End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There you have it folks! I can't begin to describe how elated I feel right now. I am a little sad to see it end, but who knows,I may write a sequel should it come to that. I debated about how I was going to end it. Worried that you all might think it to be a little to dark. The truth be told,I've had this exact ending in mind for quite some time. I do hope you like it as much as I do, but if not, you can choose to have it end in chapter fourteen. Your own little head canon so to speak.  
> This is one of the longest fanfics I've written and one of the very few multi-chaptered ones that I've completed in years. I never have the courage or stamina it seems. I think I delivered this time and the reception from you all,whether it be in comments or kudos has been a large part of t.   
> Basically,I'm really happy to have been able to bring this too you, so thank you all for sharing this with me,it has been incredible.   
> PS, my amazing Nord, Vaeltaa made a graphic for this fic, it's amazing and wonderful and I give her all the love for it. See it,here- http://24.media.tumblr.com/9354e456db4584394e23c5dff84f9c8f/tumblr_mr0qfkn4cv1qe2s9ko1_500.jpg
> 
> Thank you,thank you all for being here with me,it has been a blast. Really. Thank you.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Hopefully,I've not bit off more than I can chew with this. Expect the heading tags and character list and pairings thing to change as I add the chapters.


End file.
